Sorry Ever After
by doolf4eva
Summary: When Steve awakens from the ice, he is met with a very influential person of his past, Bethany Stark. She was Howard Stark's little sister, Dr. Erskine's prodigy, Peggy Carter's partner in crime and Steve Rogers'… friend? Whatever their relationship, them meeting again sparks memories of laughter, pain and love. Steve/OC. Captain America to Iron Man 3 plot. COMPLETED.
1. Chapter 1

****A/N: ****I just wanted to mention that my OC Bethany Stark was for the most part inspired by Claire Bennet from _Heroes_. I think Hayden Panettiere is insanely gorgeous, and when I had established the plot line, I just couldn't for the life of me get her out of my head. I tried, believe me.**

**I clearly don't own any of the characters, names or plots other than the ones you don't recognize from the original movies.**

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><p>Chapter One<p>

"I won't do it," Bethany Stark almost yelled. "It's a lie! His entire life is gone and you want me to waltz in there and tell him that everything is _okay_?! I'm surprised you passed your annual mental evaluation, Director Fury, because you are sure as hell not making any sense right now."

Fury crossed his arms, displeased with her words. "Miss. Stark, all I want is for him to wake up and feel safe and comfortable. You're the only one who can provide that."

"I'm not lying to him," Bethany stated defiantly before her face fell a little. "In fact, I don't even think I'm the person he wants to see."

"Even if that's true Agent Stark, you're all he has now. And I'm starting to get the impression that you don't want to face him for personal reasons. It's been seventy years. Whatever it is, you should have gotten over it long ago."

"I may have," She agreed, a crack in her usual hard-cold exterior. "But he hasn't. It's yesterday to him. I'm not lying to him. So find someone else."

With that, Bethany left the room at the SHIELD building in New York, storming her way to the bathroom. The air of anger around her was enough to have the other SHIELD agents in the room leave before Bethany could throw them through the wall. And they knew she could.

Looking at her reflection, her anger grew with the image before her. It had been seventy years since she last saw Steve Rogers, him in his customary blue, white and red suit, ready to go off and save the day. It had been seventy years and she looked nothing like she once did. Her eyes were filled with fatigue, war and death, something that followed her everywhere she went. Her cheeks were tight, a smile not gracing them in a _long_ time. Her hair was a dark shade of bottled brown, pulled high into a pony tail opposed to the light blond curls that hung around her face before.

Seventy years had turned her into a killing machine. When SHIELD first started, she was one of the first agents they had. Her job was simple; eliminate the enemy. Or at least, it was simple after the twenty deaths brought by her hand. Howard had assured her that she was only saving the world from another outbreak of war, from more deaths and more countries being influenced by a corrupt leader. While he was right, it didn't make it any easier. Not at first, anyways. A lot had changed since then.

Seventy years had changed her completely. But while those seventy years changed her personality and hair, they didn't change her appearance as it did everyone else. She wasn't old and frail like so many of her friends, or dead with legacies living on like Howard. Yes, a lot had changed since the last time she saw Steve Rogers, but her age wasn't one of them.

Her nostrils flared as she remembered some of their last words and she threw a hard punch to the window, it shattering around her fist. Bethany looked down at the shards of mirror sticking out, blood running down her arm. The pain, as always, was a friendly reminder that she was human. That she, like everyone else, felt pain. The pieces of glass began to push out of her skin, clanking on the countertop by the sink before falling to Bethany's feet. The cuts began to heal instantly and the pain was gone. All that was left was the trail of blood and the shattered mirror.

Turning on the facet, she washed away the red and looked into the shattered glass, only to see the same disappointing image as before. As she turned off the facet and started to dry her hands, "_all agents, code 13_" rang loudly, bringing attention to every SHIELD agent in the building. Bethany huffed in annoyance, rolling her eyes before touching her gun delicately. It was something she always did as reassurance.

She knew the alarm was indication that there was a problem with their newest weapon, the super soldier out of time. It couldn't be for anything else. And despite the fact that Bethany wasn't ready to face Steve, it _was _her job.

Pushing the bathroom door open, she saw the familiar built body run through the halls, completely terrified. Before Bethany could stop herself, she was running after him. She knew he was scared, as he should be, and she was always the best at comforting him, as he always comforted her. They would stay up all night sometimes, confessing their fears, childhood stories and the pain that captured their hearts. She knew him better than anyone else. As much as she wanted to abandon him, she just couldn't bring herself to do that to him. She couldn't let him down. Not again.

He was faster than her. That she knew, but she grabbed her gun, knowing she wouldn't use it, but that maybe he would stop running. At this rate, he'd reach Canada within the hour.

"Steve, stop!" She yelled over the New York traffic. She saw as the soldier's body tense, halting and turning slightly at the familiarity of her voice.

Alarmingly, he looked at her, and her firm hold on the gun, his arms going up in a motion of surrender. _Steve Rogers surrender? _She asked herself. _Never. _But there was still fear in his eyes.

A heartbeat passed, a crowd of curious New Yorkers gathering around. A couple SHIELD agents had joined Bethany, each with their own gun in hand. Why the citizens weren't scattering like mad, Bethany wasn't sure. What she was sure with though was that the generations hadn't gotten much brighter in the regards of street smarts, that's for sure.

"Bethany?" Steve asked in almost a whisper. In response, she lowered the gun and took a couple steps forward.

"I told them not to do that," She explained, suddenly feeling self-conscious. "The little show? I told them you weren't an idiot. You'd think after seventy years of service, they'd actually listen to me."

"Bethany, what are you talking about?" He asked, looking around.

For the first time in years, Bethany felt her heart fall a little. He looked like a little lost kid in a grocery store, wanting desperately to ask for help, but too afraid to do so. "Steve…" she began, putting her gun back in its holster. "You crashed the plane into the water and froze. You've… you've been asleep for seventy years."

Steve looked around at the lights surrounding them, big obnoxious advertisements, before shaking his head, "This isn't funny Beth."

She felt a small tug at her lip, a foreign feeling of a smile forming at a nickname that was seldom earned. "I'm not lying Steve. It's… the twenty-first century."

* * *

><p>"You've gotta love the twentieth century, little sister." Howard said throwing an arm around her shoulder. "All this? They never would have dreamed of it thirty years ago."<p>

He was gesturing to the expo in front of them, many of their inventions on display. Bethany had to admit, it was impressive. "Imagine what it'll be like thirty years from now," she agreed.

"It's gonna be one hell of a universe," Howard remarked. "And once Project Rebirth takes off-"

"Can you hush?" Bethany snapped, sending a playful hit to his stomach. "That's a secret."

"Which is why it has a codename," Howard reminded her. "Now get off my stage. It's almost show time."

Bethany exhaled heavily, but complied, making her way to the crowd that had gathered around to see exactly what the brilliant Howard Stark had thought of this week. Technology was more important now than anything with the war raging hard. It wasn't just strategy that mattered anymore. Each side was developing more and more weapons, each more advanced than the last in effort to come out on top.

Bethany watched Howard's show with little patience. The man was a Casanova, and he couldn't seem to turn it off—ever. But as the wheels of the car were removed and the car started to rise, she felt a surge of pride fill her. Her brother was a genius.

"Holy cow," she heard someone say behind her as the car continued to float upwards. Then, in typical fashion, the car fell back towards the stage.

Howard gave an embarrassed chuckle as the crowd started to clap leisurely. "I did say a few years, didn't I?"

Bethany laughed at his quick save, shaking her head. Her brother was a genius, yes. But he never knew when to ask for help, especially from his kid sister who had taken one look at the blue prints and known instantly what the problem was. Howard refused to listen to her, as usual, and Bethany just accepted this.

Howard caught her gaze and gestured towards the recruitment office that had been set up. She sighed, but nodded. Making her way through the crowd, she picked out the body of Dr. Abraham Erskine, standing in his white lab coat.

"You're late," he spoke when she walked towards him.

"Sorry," she answered truthfully to her mentor. "I had to see Howard fail for myself."

The German doctor smiled, shaking his head. He was endlessly amused with the Stark siblings. "Well now that you have, can we focus on the task at hand, Miss. Stark?"

"I still think that kid from Connecticut is the best choice," Bethany spoke as she looked around at all the men who were on their way to enlist.

"You know very well that I am looking for aspects beyond the physical," Dr. Erskine reminded for what was most likely the tenth time. "Take a look at that boy there."

Bethany followed his gaze towards where two men were undoubtedly arguing. The first was already dressed in his army uniform, a clear indication to Bethany that the scientist meant the other one, the very short and skinny man. "Exactly, a _boy." _Bethany stressed. Even without her heels, she would be taller than him. Maybe not by much, but by enough.

"Listen to his words," he told her. "Despite his size, he wants to fight. But not just for himself, but for his country."

Bethany sighed, knowing that the good doctor had already chosen this boy. They had been on the hunt for the perfect soldier, moving from state to state. Every tall, strong and able-bodied man was overlooked simply because of the _reasons_ why he wanted to fight. Bethany wasn't even sure why she was surprised at Erskine's find. "Don't give him a ticket to the boot camp just yet. If you're seriously considering him, talk to him. He may not be everything you think he is."

Dr. Erskine nodded, placing his hand on her shoulder. "I agree with you, but he is my number one prospect."

"Of course he is," Bethany voiced with a smirk.

The two men parted, the shorter one walking towards the recruitment line. "As you know," the scientist began, breaking their silence. "I have many men to attend to. Will you watch over him for me?"

"I'm not a babysitter," she protested, but with no resentment or anger in her voice.

"No, no, no," Erskine assured her with a smile. "Just find out what you can about him. You know your approval means a lot to me."

Bethany gave him a little smile before nodding and following the boy.

Howard had introduced Bethany to Dr. Erskine when he first came to America. Howard knew that if anyone was willing to give her a chance, it was Dr. Erskine. Growing up, she and Howard had taken a love to fixing things. While Howard trained his craft on mechanics and innovation, Bethany quickly learned that fixing objects didn't have the same reward as fixing people. She studied nursing, but when her chances of being a doctor where crushed by the mere aspect that she was a girl, Dr. Erskine had come along and given her the chance. Sure, there were women doctors. But she wouldn't have be able to get the same opportunities in a medical school surrounded by stupid, judgemental men as she would with someone who actually cared about her education.

She had learned a lot from the doctor, more than just suturing and diagnosing illnesses. He had enlightened her with science. Which is how the two ended up at the expo, searching for the perfect candidate to give the serum to. She didn't necessarily disagree about the man chosen needing to have a good heart. After what happened with Schmidt, it was with a doubt the first quality they should look for, but there had to be one man out there with a good heart who was also strong. And preferably taller than the man in question. Nonetheless, Bethany followed Erskine's instructions and casually followed the boy. Along the way, she found a white lab coat and slipped it over her rich red dress that Howard had bought for her for her twentieth birthday.

Standing behind the table, she watched as the boy approached her to look over his enlistment form. She could tell that he was trying to look tall, brave and strong, but his eyes avoided her own. He handed his enlistment form to her shyly, as if the very idea of being close to her was completely terrifying. Bethany took it with a small smile, telling him to sit and wait until she called him. He complied without a moment's doubt and Bethany began to read his forms.

There was one thing about enlistment forms that Bethany loved; the history each one told. With a few pieces of paper, she could read so much about a person; his age, next-of-kin, health issues, family. This small stack of papers allowed Bethany to get to know details about a man within seconds of meeting him. She had quickly learned to decode things that weren't necessarily stated on the paper. What caught Bethany's attention on this Steven Rogers' enlistment form was his beautiful penmanship. _An artist's hand_, she thought as she scanned over it again.

He wasn't a boy. In fact, his date of birth had him older than her. She noted with mild interest that he was born on America's birthday, but quickly looked at his list of health ailments. How he wasn't dead already, Bethany didn't know. And why he would ever risk leaving the house was another debate on its own. If not his height or weight making him unqualified for battle, his asthma easily did the trick. One night in the mucky trenches would irritate his lungs enough to send him to the Red Cross tents. Although, Bethany had a feeling that Steven would go to those tents reluctantly, possibly even dragged.

A normal person would throw his enlistment forms away without a second thought, but Bethany knew Dr. Erskine well enough to know this would only excite him even more. The serum was supposed to bring a human to the brink of perfection. And while Bethany hated to admit it, giving Steven Rogers the serum would be an exciting experiment.

_Experiment_. The word echoed in her head. Yes, what they were planning was exciting. But if something went wrong, their lab rat would suffer the consequences and Bethany would feel forever guilty. It wasn't going to be an easy transformation, and no doubt painful. She wasn't sure if he could handle it.

She moved her gaze over the top of the form towards where Rogers was sitting. He was looking around with interest. Bethany studied him carefully, trying to create a deeper impression of him. He had a long face, sunken in from poor health and lack of weight. His nose was a perfect slope, but there was a small bump on the side of it, his lips full but slightly chapped. It was a little hard to make out, but quickly consulting the enlistment form, his eyes were revealed to be blue. His hair was cut in a very typical way, pushed out of his face in a soft wave, which fell over his eyes when he looked down. Bethany decided that, despite his size, he was quite handsome.

Bethany pushed her chair back, it screeching against the tiles. Standing up tall, she made her way over to a cabinet that had copies of enlistment forms of the men determined unfit. Erskine had requested these for future reference and consultation. She hadn't questioned it then, and she was glad she hadn't. Her fingers danced over the files until she reached 'R'. She gave an amused chuckle and picked out Rogers' previous attempts. Closing the cabinet with a firm slam and reaching for a spare file folder, she placed all the enlistment forms in the folder.

"Rogers, Steven." She called out. He immediately shot up, and she gestured for him to follow her. She brought him to an examination room, offering him a smile. "Sit down, a doctor will be in to look over you in a moment."

"Thank you ma'am," he replied, mirroring her smile and following her orders. Bethany's mouth fell open slightly at how deep his voice was, frozen in her place for a moment. It didn't seem to fit.

She snapped her mouth closed and gave him a tight lipped smile before walking out in search for Dr. Erskine. When she finally found him, she sighed, handing him the folder. "You really know how to pick them."

"You like him?" Erskine asked, taking the folder.

"He's said a total of three words to me," Bethany answered. "Look at his attempts though. By looking at his hometown, you'd think he's nomadic. The boy has passion. Born on the Fourth of July too. Patriotic."

"I guess we'll just have to ask him where he's really from," Erskine decided with a smile. "I _will_ keep my promise to look at all the candidates before making a decision, but he is on top of my list."

"Understood," Bethany answered. Erskine nodded to a soldier who ripped the sheets covering the examination room away, revealing Rogers who was looking more antsy than when Bethany left him. Erskine stepped forward and excused the soldier. Bethany, not knowing if Erskine wanted her to follow him in lingered by the sheets. Erskine went to open his mouth, then realized Bethany's absence.

"What are you doing? Get in here, _fräulein_." Bethany attempted to hide her amused smile, but failed. The doctor's tone of voice and accent always made her chuckle. Even when he tried to be serious, he always brought a smile to her face.

"So," Dr. Erskine began. "You want to go overseas. Kill some Nazis."

"Excuse me?" Steve asked, clearly shocked by the straight forward question.

"Doctor Abraham Erskine. I represent the Strategic Scientific Reserve. This is my assistant Bethany Stark."

"Steve Rogers," the skinny man answered, nodding his head politely to Bethany before turning his gaze to Erskine. "Where are you from?"

Erskine put Steve's folder down on the observation table. "Queens." He answered casually. "Before that, Germany. This troubles you?"

"No," Steve answered lightly.

"It's funny you asked that," Bethany spoke up. "We were going to ask you the exact same thing, Mr. Rogers."

"Yes," Erskine agreed, looking at the enlistment papers in front of him. "Is it New Haven? Or Paramus? Five exams in five different-"

"It might not be the right file," Steve interrupted, trying to save his skin.

"Relax, Mr. Rogers." Bethany said, folding her hands together neatly. "The exams aren't what we're interested in. The five tries however…"

Silence fell over them briefly before Erskine filled it. "You didn't answer my question, Mr. Rogers. Do you want to kill Nazis?"

With their gazes turned to him, they waited for his answer. Steve didn't hesitate long before answering with simply "Is this a test?"

Bethany put three of her fingers over her red-rimmed lips in an attempt to cover her girlish chuckle. "Yes," Erskine answered expectantly.

Once again, silence filled the area, but only briefly. "I don't want to kill anyone," Steve confessed. "I don't like bullies. I don't care where they're from."

Bethany's fingers stayed over her lips as she turned her head to Erskine. They shared a knowing look, but Bethany couldn't shake the hold his words had around her heart. It was beating fast, his wisdom affecting her in a way words never had before. "That's beautiful," she whispered. Steve looked at her quickly, then lowered his head, a blush overtaking his skin.

"Well," the German scientist started, interrupting the moment. "There are already so many big men fighting in this war. Maybe what we need now is a little guy. Huh?" Bethany's smile reappeared as she saw the joy in Steve's face. _This kid is going to be the end of me,_ she thought, noting only for a moment that Steve was actually older than her.

"More details will come," Bethany told him, watching as his hopeful eyes turned to her. "But we can offer you a chance. _A_ chance. As in _one_."

"I'll take it," Steve rushed. Erskine had gathered the papers together and turned to leave the room. Bethany followed him, Steve hot on her trail.

"Good," the doctor said happily. "We were hoping you'd say that. Now, where is the little guy from, actually?"

"Brooklyn," Steve said with a smile.

Erskine nodded, stamping his paper with a green IA approval and handing it to him. "Congratulations, soldier."

* * *

><p>"So?" Howard asked as Bethany met up with him later that night. He was waiting on a bench by the stage, the area almost completely deserted. "Doctor Genius find anyone he saw fit? Or did you have to remind him that we're on a clock and to just pick a random person."<p>

Bethany rolled her eyes at her brother, taking a seat beside him. "First of all, we don't pick random men. Everyone we've chosen, we've chosen for a specific reason. And secondly, yes. I actually think he's made his decision."

"And?" Howard asked, taking a puff of his lit cigarette. "Do you agree? Or better yet, will I agree?"

"Oh, you'll agree. Just like I agree. He'll be a challenge. Should have an interesting turn-" she waved away the smoke from his cigarette. "Will you put that thing out, please?"

Howard complied, giving her a face. "A challenge? How so?"

Bethany crossed her legs, but bluntly answered his question with "I could pummel the guy in 10 seconds flat."

Howard frowned for a second and then laughed. "He picked a twig?" Bethany nodded, picking at a loose thread on her skirt. "I guess he did say that physical qualities wasn't his first- hey, I just bought you that. Will you stop?"

Bethany sighed, letting the thread go. 'Just' was an overstatement, since it was a few years old by now. "He's a really nice guy. Shy, that much is sure. But very patriotic. He's a true American, wanting to fight not for the glory, but because he truly believes…" She uncrossed her legs, restarting her sentence. "Erskine asked him if he wanted to kill Nazis. Steve replied that he didn't want to kill anyone, but he didn't like bullies."

Howard scoffed, "How noble."

Bethany laughed, "He's a gentleman, too. And hey, Colonel Phillips wanted an All-American man. Steve Rogers is that."

"Yeah, but Phillips won't be happy about his twig status." Howard added, going to pull out his lighter to light another cigarette before stopping himself and resorting to biting his nails.

"It's not the Colonel's decision in the end," Bethany reminded her brother. "It's Erskine's formula. Without him, we wouldn't even be having this discussion."

"Personally," Howard said, placing a hand over his heart. "I think I should get a say. It's _my_ Vita-Ray machine that will complete this little transformation."

"Assuming the Vita-Ray machine will work," Bethany said with a smirk. "Good thing Erskine didn't see your little show."

Howard glared at her. "Like you could've done better."

Bethany shook her head, smiling. "You know I could've. I know what went wrong. All you have to do is ask."

He stood up and began walking towards his car. Bethany chuckled a few more seconds before following him. "Howard, wait." Her brother stopped in his tracks, and with his hands in his pockets, slowly turned to her. "You're a genius. I know that. The world knows that. But you _can_ ask for help every once and a while, you _do_ know that right? It doesn't make you any less of a genius. It makes you human, capable of error."

Howard said nothing, just looking at her. "Can we leave now?" He finally asked.

Bethany nodded, sensing that it was better just to drop the conversation. "Of course, unless you have somewhere to be? A certain show girl's place? Or is she coming home with us?"

Howard smirked, "Nah, not really in the mood to entertain tonight." He threw an arm around her shoulders, leading her to his car.

"Well, that's a first," Bethany teased.

Howard chuckled at the truth of her words, opening the door for her. "I want to work on the Vita-Ray machine, Beth. Do some extra tests. I don't want it to be my fault it doesn't work."

Bethany nodded, slipping into the passenger's seat. "Understandable."

Howard closed the door and moved around the car, climbing into his own seat. They sat in silence for a few seconds before Howard sighed. "There's no room for error in this experiment. It's a man's life we're talking about."

Bethany looked over at her brother, seeing his age for the first time. Howard was always so carefree. It was weird to see him actually worried about something, let alone someone. She placed a comforting hand on his. "Don't worry, I just have a feeling this Rogers guy is meant to do something great. The universe wouldn't dare mess it up."

Howard looked at her green eyes for moment before nodding. Lifting a brow and tossing her his famous smirk, he changed the topic completely. "Wanna stop for some ice cream before we go home?"

Bethany smiled in agreement. "Do you really need to ask?"

* * *

><p><strong>**AN: So I'm not going to beg for reviews, since being an avid fanfiction reader myself, I know it can actually be a hassle. If you do happen to leave a review, let it be a positive one, or constructive criticism. That means actually giving me _advice _instead of just ragging on me. If you have nothing nice to say, don't say it at all. **

**All-in-all, thanks for reading :) **


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Bethany didn't really know what to expect when she stepped onto that army base. To begin with, she stuck out like a sore thumb. Everyone was wearing neutrals and she was in a rich royal blue dress, with her white lab coat on top. Then there was the fact that she was in a dress, because she was a _girl_.

But even Peggy Carter appeared to belong in her uniform. Bethany wasn't an agent. Not that she wouldn't join the army. She honestly wanted to, but with assisting both Doctor Erskine and her brother in the super soldier project, she really had no time to do that. Howard constantly reminded her that by being an active member of the project, she was part of the United States Army. She, however, didn't care. She wanted to be an agent. Something about the lifestyle seemed to draw her in. And Bethany wasn't afraid of getting dirty and hurt, as many women were.

As she, the doctor and Colonel Phillips rode in the car towards where the candidates for the super soldier program were gathered, Bethany wondered exactly what she was doing there. Yes, she was Dr. Erskine's assistant, but she didn't think that he'd need any assisting today. For the most part, all she did was jot down notes he found interesting. Occasionally she would hold a vial or two.

Howard had teased her that morning that the entire thing was his elaborate plan for her to pick the perfect husband. Bethany didn't find the joke funny at all, but she had to admit it; there were a lot of good looking men on the base. Maybe, just _maybe_, in between her nonstop work, she'd find time to go dancing, fall in love and get married. It was a highly unlikely concept, but she was a tad lonely. All of her school friends had gotten married as soon as they finished school. Many of them were pregnant. And as much as she wanted to be a strong, independent woman, she wanted to fall in love… eventually. But there was a lot she wanted to accomplish before then. Love could wait.

As the car came to a stop, Bethany watched as Peggy Carter's fist met with a candidate's face. She quickly covered her mouth with her hand, holding back a laugh. She had first met the agent a few weeks back when she and Dr. Erskine were doing their initial recruitments. The two, as many beautiful woman do, were stiff towards each other at first. Yet, soon they realized that they had a lot in common, and actually went out to dinner together that night. They gossiped like they hadn't in ages, and boiled up plans of how to toy with the soldiers in the upcoming weeks. While they both were dedicated to their jobs, they still wanted to have a little fun.

She continued to stifle a laugh at Peggy's actions while Colonel Phillips all but congratulated her. Dr. Erskine hopped out of the car, lending a helping hand towards Bethany. Together, they walked towards where Peggy and the Colonel were standing, ready to begin the opening speeches. When Bethany and Peggy made eye contact, she gestured back towards where her hand was, giving her a thumbs up. Peggy smiled slightly, moving to fix a loose curl by her face, but maintaining her strong presence.

"General Patton," Colonel Phillips began, in which Bethany paid mild attention to. "Has said that wars are fought with weapons, but they are won by men." The Colonel began to pace, in which Bethany noted as very annoying. "We are going to win this war because we have the best men…"

He trailed off and Bethany took complete interest as to why. Colonel Phillips' gaze was on the smallest recruitment, whom Bethany instantly remembered as Steve Rogers. She bit back a smile, suddenly _very_ happy she joined Erskine that day. His reaction was something she had been looking forward to.

Phillips looked towards Erskine in a "really?" fashion, and Bethany held in her laughter as best she could. _Oh yes,_ she thought. _Completely worth it. _

"And because they are gonna get better. Much better," Phillips concluded. Bethany watched as Steve didn't even flinch, standing straight and tall, as if he'd been a soldier his entire life. She was greatly impressed.

She could vaguely hear the Colonel explain what the SSR was and how in a week's time, one would be chosen for the super soldier program. However, her gaze was on Rogers. His helmet was too big for his head. He really did looked like a kid playing in his father's clothes. But her heart felt warm as she remembered what he had said in the examination room. None of the other men had replied with such honesty.

"They will personally escort Adolph Hitler to the gates of hell," Colonel Phillips concluded, turning to Peggy and giving her the chance to step in before he walked away.

"Stay with Agent Carter and watch the men. I just need to have a word with the Colonel," Erskine explained, as he touched Bethany's arm lightly.

"Yes, I believe you do," Bethany said with a chuckle.

"Alright ladies," Peggy began. "We'll start with basic training. Jumping jacks. Begin!"

The men stalled for a second before spreading out a little and beginning with their movements. Bethany took the chance to step in closer. "That was quite an impressive punch. How's your hand?"

"Believe me," Peggy began, eyes still on the men. "It was worth it. I am surprised to see you here. Not that it's not a nice one."

"Erskine asked me to be here, so here I am." Bethany replied, watching as Steve's helmet bobbled on his head. "What do you think?"

"Of the men?" Peggy clarified. "I think you and Dr. Erskine spent a lot of time choosing such… let's just say _interesting _candidates."

"You mean Rogers," Bethany said as Peggy watched Steve. "Trust me, he's here for a reason. And strength isn't it."

"No, clearly it isn't."

Bethany shrugged. "The doctor wants a good man. If the serum works, it'll enhance everything. Including his personality. If he has a bad heart, and I don't mean medical condition wise, then it'll get worse. Steve… he's a good guy. I admire him. Five minutes alone with him, and you'll agree."

Peggy gave her a skeptical look. "Is this a crush?"

Bethany laughed out loud this time. "I don't have time to 'crush', Peggy. No, just… you'll see. Of course, I'd suggest having another man lead the conversation. He's a little shy around women."

"For his sake," Peggy said crossing her arms. "I hope the serum works."

* * *

><p>Bethany hated Howard's lab. It was dark, dirty and smelled bad. She didn't know what the scent was exactly, but it was gross, that much she knew. Nonetheless, she spent all her free time down there. There were many nights that she would even fall asleep on the makeshift bed Howard set up. She hated it down there, but it was like home.<p>

With both of their parents dead, Howard and Bethany only had each other. While they taunted and teased one another, it was clear that they loved one another. They told each other everything, and were at complete ease when together. Not to mention, when Howard would allow Bethany's input in his inventions, they were a force not to be reckoned with. And while Howard respected and admired Bethany's opinions, he wasn't ready to admit that his baby sister had the answers to a lot of his questions.

Bethany was currently sitting on a work bench handing Howard some tools, talking about her week at the army base. "Erskine still thinking about that Rogers guy?" Howard asked as he tinkered.

"Thinking? Not at all. He decided long ago," Bethany reported, her legs swaying under the bench. "Tomorrow is the last day though, so he has to wait to officially choose. Some idiotic rule we agreed to."

"And you agree? About Rogers?" Howard asked, a small grunt escaping him as he twisted a bolt in tight.

Bethany shrugged. "I like the guy. I do. Honestly, I'm rooting for him. He's the underdog, and we all love them. But I like him too much. I don't want all of this to go awry and him be the victim of it."

Howard pushed himself out from under the machine and lifted one brow towards her. "Oh, you like him, eh?"  
>Bethany rolled her eyes, kicking him lightly. "Not like that. I barely know him. But when I hear him talk… why do I keep having to explain myself on this subject? Rogers is a nice guy. When you met him, you'll understand, okay?"<p>

Howard kept smirking at her. "So you won't be Mrs. Bethany Rogers any day soon?"

Bethany let out an angry breath of air. "I don't have time to be in love. Not that I love him. Howard, just go back to your tinkering, okay?"

The man continued to smirk, but complied. "I'm just saying. One of us needs to carry on the Stark family name."

"Technically, you're the only one that can do that," Bethany reminded him. "Even if I demanded to keep my last name, I doubt my future husband will agree to his son being named after our family over his. It's a male pride thing."

"You speak like you know from experience," Howard mumbled.

"Oh, come on." Bethany continued. "If your wife said 'let's name him after my family', you wouldn't agree. It's just a name, but to you it's your pride."

It was silent as Howard mulled this over. "Okay, fine. But the Stark family genes still need to be passed on. And since I don't see myself in a stable-ish relationship anytime soon, the burden falls to you, little sister."

"Lucky me," Bethany said unenthusiastically.

"Isn't it all a woman wants? A husband and kids?" While his tone was teasing, Bethany was offended.

"Isn't all a man wants is a wife and kids, a legacy to pass down?" She asked in return. "It's not that I don't want that. Just not now, okay Howard? I want to accomplish everything I can before I have to be that perfect housewife. Not like that's a real possibility, but aprons look very constricting. I'd like to be free a little longer."

"Pass me the screwdriver?" Was his response. Bethany did as he asked, but could feel herself growing impatient with the conversation. "Beth? I'm not saying there's nothing wrong with waiting. But you're not going to be young forever."

"I'm going to bed," was her answer as she stepped over his body and to her room.

* * *

><p>Colonel Phillips, Peggy, Dr. Erskine, Howard and Bethany all gathered into a private room on the base, trying to establish the final plans for the next day. They all had coffee in front of them, knowing full well that their meeting could last all day.<p>

"Shouldn't Steve be here?" Bethany asked as they began. "This involves him directly."

"Wait," Phillips spoke up. "You're choosing him? Really, doctor?"  
>Erskine smiled sheepishly. "What can I say? I have a soft spot for him."<p>

"I do not approve-"

"Nor do you have to," Bethany interrupted. "Look beyond Steve's physical appearance. Look closer at him. There's so much more to him than that. And with the serum, his size would be enhanced. You'd get your big, strong soldier, and we'd have our compassionate and trustworthy man. We all win."

"He's the perfect candidate in theory," Howard agreed.

"He's not here," Erskine began, turning to Bethany. "Because I have yet to tell him. I will though, as soon as this is done."

Bethany nodded, taking a sip of her coffee, her nose wrinkling. There wasn't nearly enough sugar to balance out the tart taste. Phillips cleared his throat, gathering everyone's attention. "We all know the meeting place. Is everything set up for tomorrow, Mr. Stark?"

"All we need is Rogers," Howard answered. "The machine is ready to go. We shouldn't have any problems other than power."

"Which is why we'll be in Brooklyn," Bethany added. "They have a big enough power grid to support the Vita-Ray machine. We may blow all the power in the end, but it'll be worth it."

Dr. Erskine gave Bethany a knowing smile, "Is that the only reason you chose Brooklyn, Miss. Stark?"

Bethany blushed a little, but it was barely visible. "There was the small detail of it being Mr. Rogers' hometown. But that's just a happy coincidence really."

"Uh huh," Phillips said, unimpressed. "Agent Carter, will you escort Mr. Rogers to the meeting place? I have a feeling Miss. Stark would just scare him away… which may not be a bad idea."

"Hey!" Bethany spoke up, insulted. "I can be very charming when I choose to be. You just get on my nerves. And I'm not the one who punched a soldier square in the face on the first day."

"You did that?" Howard asked Peggy, amused.

"He deserved it," Peggy justified.

"Are you insisting on escorting Mr. Rogers, Miss. Stark, or are you just stating a point?" Colonel Phillips asked, tiredly.

"Just a point," Bethany mumbled. "But Peggy could scare him away just as easily. Believe me, this boy has _no_ experience with women. I mean, we've had a conversation once or twice, yet he was still embarrassed when he caught me watching him the other day. Face as red as a tomato."

"I think its to-mah-toe," Howard replied with a satisfied smirk on his face. Bethany slapped him, annoyed. Howard only began to chuckle. "Why were you watching him? Is it because you _loooveeeee_ him?"

"Oh my god," Bethany almost yelled, ready to punch him. "Will you stop with that? I don't love anyone."

"Except your genius brother," Howard asserted.

"I dunno, lately I've been on a thin rope," she replied quickly.

Colonel Phillips, quickly growing exhausted by the extra conversation banged his hand on the table. "Carter. You escort Rogers. Doctor, you and the Starks will be at the meeting place at least two hours beforehand. Understood?"

They all nodded sheepishly, all feeling like children being reprimanded by their parents. "Be on your best behavior," Phillips instructed. "You'll be around highly dignified men, and I don't want to be embarrassed by your childish antics, or you will be excused."

"Technically," Bethany began, not able to help herself, earning a moan from the entire room. "Without us, you don't have a super soldier. So I think we're in charge."

Howard noticed the vein popping out of the Colonel's neck and let out a nervous chuckle. "We'll be going now…"

"Hey-"Bethany began, but Howard just pulled her out of the room. "I wasn't done my coffee. Not that it was any good. The coffee just seems to be getting worse as this war goes on."

Howard just rolled his eyes at her. "That was the Colonel you were talking back to."

"So? I'm not in the army, he isn't the boss of me." Bethany spoke back, crossing her arms. "Plus when has rank ever stopped you from talking back? Why should it be any different for me? Or anyone for that matter."

"You're impossible," Howard stated as they started towards his car.

Bethany smiled, "I learnt from the best."

"Bethany! Wait a moment!" Peggy called from behind. "If you want to join me in escorting Rogers tomorrow, I'd be alright with that."

"I'm sure Colonel Phillips will have me shot dead by a firing squad," Bethany replied casually, but honestly.

"Most likely," Peggy stated. "Nonetheless, he'll be very busy tomorrow. He may not even notice."

"Sounds to me like you want her to join you, not the other way around," Howard joined in.

"I beg your pardon?" Peggy asked confused.

Howard just held up his hands in surrender. "No disrespect, Agent Carter. All I meant was that you seem to almost be insisting."

Peggy paused for a moment and Bethany gave a light chuckle. "We're very intuitive."

"I… I just don't know what to say to him." Peggy answered.

Bethany shrugged. "If he wants to talk, he'll talk. Me being there wouldn't be much help."

"That's where you're wrong," Peggy assured. "You've talked to him before. And you're very good at filling unwanted silence. You're so sure of yourself, that you aren't afraid to say what needs to be said, no matter what."

"Did you just tell me I was wrong and then tell me I was right?" Bethany asked, confused.

The agent sighed, truly annoyed. "Miss. Stark. Please."

Bethany sighed. "Fine. I'll join you. But if Colonel Phillips insists on punishing me, you have to endure it with me."

Peggy nodded before hugging the girl. "Highly out of character," Bethany spoke amused, but hugging the woman back.

When the two woman separated, Howard smirked at Peggy. "Now, where's my hug?"

Peggy rolled her eyes before turning around and walking away. "Men," Bethany muttered, getting into the car.

* * *

><p>The speed in which Peggy climbed into the front part of the car was incredible. While Bethany didn't care where she sat, she didn't understands Peggy's… fear? How could someone be <em>afraid<em> of Steve Rogers? The guy couldn't even hurt a fly, even if he tried.

Bethany had given Steve an embarrassed chuckle as they watched Peggy climb into the car. "She likes to see the road," Bethany lied, not sure if it was convincing enough.

Steve opened his mouth slightly as if to say something, yet just nodded. He then leaned forward and opened the door for her. "After you, ma'am."

Bethany gave him a bright smile as a thank you before climbing in. "I swear, wearing a dress and crawling into a car are not to mix in the slightest."

Steve climbed in after her, and the car started to move. "It's a lovely dress," Peggy spoke from the front, anxious to fill the silence. "Where did you get it?"

Bethany looked down at the light purple material. "Howard bought his one, I think. Christmas present perhaps? I swear, I'd have nothing in my closet if he didn't buy me so much clothes."

"It's a nice color," Steve said quietly beside her. Bethany looked over towards him, giving him a small smile.

"I think so too," Bethany replied, a thought popping into her head. "Can I ask you something, Mr. Rogers?" He looked nervous and Bethany chuckled lightly. "I promise it's an easy one." With the nod of his head, Bethany continued. "Are you an artist?"

"How-how did you know?" He asked, wide eyes. He hadn't told anyone.

"She's intuitive," Peggy spoke, remembering the conversation from the day before.

"No," Bethany said with a laugh. "Well, yes. I am. But I saw your file. You have _excellent_ penmanship. I've seen a lot of files in the past few weeks or so, and yours was perfect to the T. And you clearly have an eye for color."

Steve bowed his head with a blush. "Thank you, Miss. Stark."

Bethany frowned, sticking her tongue out for a moment. "Blah. Miss. Stark. Do you know a total of three people have called me by my first name since this blasted war began? _Three_ people. Miss. Stark this and Miss. Stark that. I understand the formality, but I feel by using titles, it's almost asserting business over friendship."

"It's war, Bethany," Peggy said from the front. "It _is_ business."

"But you just proved my point Peggy," Bethany insisted. "You call me by my first name. Well, when it suits you. We're friends, and yet we're friends only because of the war. Then there's Howard, and him being my brother warrants him calling me by my first name, as well as other nicknames. Even Dr. Erskine has called me Bethany on an occasion or two. Three people."

She turned to look at Steve, who was staring at her, completely and utterly confused. Bethany held out her hand to him, an overwhelming amount of confidence in her voice. "Bethany. Not Miss. Stark. Not ma'am. Bethany."

Steve looked at her hand before shaking it. "Steve."

"There," Bethany said happily. "Four."

Peggy chuckled, "You are a colorful one, Stark. Almost as colorful as your brother."

"Being compared to Howard is never a good thing," Bethany complained. "He's conceited and a womanizer."

"You're certainly not a womanizer," Peggy replied. "Conceited? Perhaps, but not in a bad way."

Bethany crossed her arms. "I'm not the one who created an entire exposition just to showcase my inventions."

"No," Peggy agreed, turning around to look at her. "But the way you talked back to Colonel Phillips yesterday? You were pretty sure of yourself. Quite proud."

"He deserved to be taken down a peg or two," Bethany muttered. "He isn't the boss of me, no matter how much he'd like to believe it. I am a free woman." She turned to look at Steve. "I'm not scaring you, am I? Colonel Phillips thought I would."

"Not at all," Steve answered truthfully.

"Good," Bethany said with an air of success as silence took over again. She knew that she could talk a mile a minute. She also knew that a lot of what she said and did was deemed inappropriate, but she had Howard as a brother. It wasn't something she could help. But when Bethany said she could be charming, she wasn't lying. In fact, it was a quality of hers that came naturally.

"I know this neighborhood," Steve spoke, clearing the silence away. Bethany watched him as he looked out the window. "I got beat up in that alley," he said pointing to it outside the window. "And that parking lot. And behind that diner," he finished looking into his lap.

Bethany was filled with mixed feelings of wanting to chuckle and wanting to comfort him. The laughter wasn't in an ill-spirited way, but just because of the way he was revealing it, like it was nothing. Luckily, Peggy spoke up before Bethany had to do or say anything. "Did you have something against running away?"

Steve, stilling looking at his lap, shook his head. "You start running, they'll never let you stop. You stand up, you push back. Can't say no forever, right?"

Bethany continued to watch him, hiding a shiver. His voice was so deep, it really seemed foreign coming from his small body. Yet, his words, like the ones when they first met, were so haunting, she couldn't shake them.

"I know a little of what that's like," Peggy said. "To have every door shut in your face."

"That actually happened to me once," Bethany added softly. "I had a bruise for a week. It's a cruel world out there. The idea of a woman being a doctor, a mechanic, an agent. It's almost like the thought is impossible to comprehend. Anyone who's different is... dangerous. Which is ridiculous, but that's what has people so distant. A concept as continually evolving as _change._"

"I guess I don't understand why you'd want to be any of that if you were a beautiful dame. Or a beautifu- a woman. Not a dame." Peggy had turned in her seat to stare at Steve while Bethany did what she always did; hid her laughter.

"You both are beautiful, insanely so, but..." He stopped trying to figure out his sentence before continuing and Bethany found that she couldn't hold back her laughter any longer.

"You have no idea how to talk to women, do you?" Peggy asked, as Bethany tried to control herself.

To her luck, Steve chuckled a little at the agent's words. "I think this is the longest conversation I've had with one, let alone two."

"Bethany, do you need a hanky or something?" Peggy asked as Bethany was tearing up.

"I'm not laughing at you," she promised to Steve. "I just find everything hilarious."

Steve gave her a small smile. "I guess it's a little ridiculous. Women aren't exactly lining up to dance with a guy they might step on."

Bethany's laughter died down and she accepted handkerchief from Peggy to dab at her eyes. "You must've danced," Peggy stated softly.

"Well, asking a woman to dance always seemed so terrifying. And the past few years, it didn't seem to matter that much. Figured I'd wait."

"For?" Bethany asked, handing Peggy back her handkerchief. She willed herself not to think back to Steve's previous struggle or else she'd break into laughter again.

Steve took in a deep breath before saying three words that seemed to engrave themselves into Bethany's heart. "The right partner."

Peggy and Bethany shared a smile before looking out their respective windows. It was quiet for a few seconds before Bethany decided to make Steve feel better. "There's no shame in waiting. That first dance… it stays with you forever. Finding out that they're a jerk… it tarnishes the memory. And it happening repeatedly? It takes the fun out of dancing."

Bethany wasn't necessarily talking just about literal dancing. It was the whole dating experience, including sex. It was everything deemed personal, intimate and romantic. It was a very sad reality that she didn't take pleasure out of these things anymore, and unlike Howard, she was getting tired of the same routine. She had long said good-bye to her virginity, and while sex was so much fun a few years ago, it became a shield she hid behind. It was careless now. A crutch almost. A temporary solution to all her problems, but inevitably just creating more drama within her life.

"Many heartbreaks, Bethany?" Peggy questioned quietly.

"More than I care to admit," Bethany confessed, but knowing that most of her heartbreak was caused by her own actions. "What I've learned is that there is no such thing as love at first sight. Once you get to know them, you realize that they are nothing but… that's not the point. There's someone for everyone. Maybe we haven't even met who we'll marry yet. That's what I keep telling myself. That everyone else doesn't matter. That he's still out there."

"That's a comforting thought," Steve answered. "I don't care if I've met her already though. Even if it took a while for her to see me for what I am, I wouldn't mind waiting. I feel like waiting for love is worth it. Even if it's fleeting. There has to be a reason people want it so much. Waiting has to be worth it."

Bethany gave him a huge grin. "For someone who doesn't know how to talk to women, you've said a lot of things that I find simply beautiful. Your little speech about bullies? There hasn't been a day that I haven't thought about it."

Steve bowed his head, once again embarrassed. "Just speaking the truth ma'am- Bethany."

* * *

><p>"I'm really hoping this works," Howard said quietly to Bethany. "If he's going to be my future brother-in-law, he needs to put on some weight."<p>

Bethany didn't hesitate to hit him. _Hard_. "Will you stop that?"

"He's looking at you," Howard said with a smirk. "Is that _love_ in his eyes?"

Bethany gave him a warning look. "I swear, I _will_ kill you in your sleep."

"Okay, okay," Howard said putting his hands up. "Oh look, he's taking off his shirt."

Bethany picked up the clipboard next to her and hit him hard repeatedly. "Ow, _ow!_ Okay, I get it Beth."

"Is there a problem?" the doctor asked, coming up with a careful warning on his face.

"No," Bethany replied quickly. "No problem. Not at all. Problem solved."

"Best behavior," Howard whispered into Bethany's ear, making her cringe. Knowing that the only way to stop his taunting was to walk away, she moved up to the Vita-Ray machine where Steve was lying down.

"How are your levels?" Erskine asked to Howard.

"Levels at 100 percent," Howard answered automatically, hot on Bethany's trail, despite her attempts to escape.

"Good," the doctor responded.

Howard studied Steve momentarily before throwing his arm around Bethany, "As Beth stated yesterday, we may dim half the lights in Brooklyn, but we are ready… as we'll ever be."

The man walked away and Steve looked alarmed at Bethany. "Don't worry," she assured. "I double checked his calculations. No floating cars falling from the sky today."

"I heard that!" Howard called.

Steve and Bethany shared a small laugh as a nurse began to settle Steve into the machine, attaching the pads to his body. Turning around to say something to Peggy, Bethany noticed that she had relocated herself to the booth. "Should I go there too?" She asked to no one in particular, swaying in her spot while waiting for an answer.

"Why would you do that?" Erskine asked. "I need you."

Bethany turned back to Steve with a smirk. "That's always reassuring. To be needed. Relax," she said, sensing his uneasiness. "Have a little faith. In this very room, you have the three brightest minds of this generation."

"There's the conceitedness Agent Carter mentioned," Steve spoke with a sparkle in his eye. Bethany opened her mouth to argue back, but just ended up smiling and shaking her head. She took his hand and gave it a comforting squeeze before going to stand near Howard.

Dr. Erskine took the microphone and tapped it a few times, the impact echoing. "Do you hear me? Is this on? Ladies and gentlemen, today we take not another step towards annihilation, but the first step on the path to peace."

Howard threw a white lab coat at Bethany which she quickly put on, along with a pair of tinted goggles. "We begin with a series of microinjections into the subject's major muscle groups," Erskine continued. "The serum infusion will cause immediate cellular change. And then, to stimulate growth, the subject will be saturated with Vita-Rays."

"Tell me you looked over the blueprints twice," Howard whispered to Bethany for reassurance.

"Nope," Bethany spoke, alarming Howard. "Once I found out it was Steve, I checked a third time. All the calculations are correct. The only way this goes wrong is if there is something wrong with the serum. Relax, Howard."

"Serum infusion beginning in five, four, three, two…one." Bethany watched as levers were pulled and the blue liquid from the cylinders were emptied. There was a faint mechanical hissing from the machines and Howard gave Bethany a reassuring look.

"Relax, Beth," he both teased and honestly meant. "You know what's about to happen. Prepare yourself."

Bethany nodded. Having been studying the development of both the serum and the Vita-Ray machine, she knew more than anyone exactly what was going to happen. The transformation was bound to be a painful one.

"Now, Mr. Stark." Dr. Erskine said as Howard complied and the machine turned up straight, closing around Steve. Erskine walked up and talked to Steve quietly, but Bethany only let out a haggard breath of air.

"This has to work," Bethany said quietly, twisting her hands together as the stress overwhelmed her. She had been so confident only moments again, but a million emotions were running through her brain. "The result from last time-"

"Won't happen again," Howard assured. "Stop doubting our calculations."

Bethany nodded, composing herself. So much had changed since the last time it was tested. Now there was the machine, and Erskine had altered the serum drastically. "We will proceed," Erskine finally said.

Howard put his goggles on, now matching his sister. He began to turn the wheel. "That's ten percent. Twenty percent. Thirty."

The light filled the room with a loud and irritating mechanical screeching. Bethany clenched her fists together. "That's forty percent."

"Vitals are normal," Bethany spoke up, eyes on where Steve's vitals were projected. She could feel her heartbeat pounding wildly in her chest.

"That's fifty percent!" Howard told everyone. "Sixty. Seventy."

That's when Steve started to scream. It began as a groan that slowly grew. Bethany felt sick, but looked down at the vitals and saw that health wise, he was fine. _It's working,_ Bethany thought. _If his vitals are fine and he's in pain, it's because it's working. It's working, it's working._

She watched as Erskine yelled to Steve through the machine and Peggy running out yelling "Shut it down!"

Erskine turned to Howard and began to tell him to kill the reactors, kill everything. _But it's working! _Bethany cried to herself, only to remember that they couldn't hear her thoughts.

"No!" Bethany went to cry, only to have Steve fill it. "Don't! I can do this!"

Howard looked towards Bethany for reassurance who gave him a 'go do it you idiot' look on her face. "Eighty. Ninety. That's one hundred percent!"

The humming intensified, the room got brighter, and Bethany could swear she smelt smoke. That's when the machine began to let out sparks before the light died all together. For a few moments, no one moved, or made a sound. Bethany was the first one to do anything, taking a few steps towards the machine, her heels clacking against the floor. She pulled the tinted googles off her face, dropping them to the floor. "Howard… open it." She said quietly, trying to keep her shaking under control.

Howard complied and the machine opened dramatically. Bethany stayed in her spot, unable to comprehend what was in front of her. She actually couldn't remember how to breathe. There, right in front of her, was the image of human perfection, muscles toned perfectly, skin tanned from the light of the rays. It really didn't help that he had a light sheen of sweat covering him. Bethany felt lightheaded as waves of lust flowed over her. With his once shallow face filled in, Bethany could positively say she had never seen something so... mesmerizing.

"Holy shit," she muttered to herself as Erskine moved forward to check on him.

"Steven?" he asked, as Steve breathed heavily. Howard quickly moved past Bethany to help Steve out of the machine. The only thing the blonde could do was stare in awe. She had known that he would get bigger, taller and stronger. Somehow 'sexier' never really crossed her mind. And that's exactly what Steve Rogers was now; sexy. Before he had been adorable and shy, but now...

"I did it," Steve said, almost not believing it.

"Yeah, yeah," Erskine agreed. "I think we did it." He looked to both of the Starks when saying this. Bethany had not moved from her spot, unable to feel her feet.

"You actually did it," Howard said, taking in Steve's body before turning to Bethany. He couldn't help but smirk at her face. "Bethany? You okay?"

"What?" She said snapping out of her trance. She quickly felt herself blush madly as she realized she'd been staring at Steve's chest. "Shirt," She said as Steve looked at her. "You… you need a shirt."

"How do you feel?" She heard from behind her. Bethany jumped slightly, completely unaware that Peggy had stepped behind her.

"Taller," Steve said looking around.

"Shirt!" Bethany cried to the nurse who was carrying a white shirt towards them.

The nurse finally reached them, looking Steve over more than once. Bethany snatched the shirt away from the nurse and watched as Peggy was just as speechless as she was. She wanted to snap at the nurse for looking at Steve like he was a piece of meat, but she was doing the same thing. Half-naked, attractive men were a normality in Bethany's life, but that didn't stop her from acting like a fool now. "Umm, you look taller," Peggy allowed, filling in the silence as Bethany weighed the shirt in her hand.

"Shirt," Bethany said again, seemingly the only word she knew. Steve eyed her with confusion, but accepted the shirt, pulling it on. "Okay…" Bethany said shaking her head. "Well, see?" She said, now able to concentrate a little. "I told you all it would work."

Howard threw an arm around Bethany. "Oh yes, you were so reassuring when she almost started cry- ouufff." Bethany had elbowed him in the stomach. Hard.

"I didn't cry," Bethany spoke strongly. "The light… it was very bright."

She could feel Steve's gaze on her, and when she looked up at him, she cleared her throat slightly. Her initial assessment had been that he was handsome. With his face filled in, neck thickened and body… well… looking like a Greek God's, he was more than just handsome. Bethany had to remind herself not to throw her arms around him and have her way. It was proving to be a very daunting task, indeed.

She wasn't exactly what would be considered a 'proper' lady. Typically, whenever she encountered an attractive man, she would work her magic and have her fun for the night. And while she very much wanted that with Steve, wanted a night with that body, she knew she couldn't do that. This wasn't just some random man she met while drinking at the bar. This was someone she had got to know. She couldn't just push away everything about him and just have sex with the body, like she typically did. But that wouldn't stop her from admiring what she couldn't have.

Suddenly, a loud explosion from the booth racked through the lab, glass flying everywhere. Screams of surprise and terror filled the room as everyone ducked down. Being the klutz that she was, Bethany tried to regain her footing from the shaking ground, only to slip. Steve reached out and caught her before she fell onto the glass shards now littering the floor.

She didn't have time to enjoy the feel of his biceps around her… oh, but how it was a moment she would love to relive, his abs so perfectly taunt against her waiting body—

"Stop him!" Dr. Erskine yelled. Bethany had pulled herself straight, Steve's body no longer against hers. Everyone turned to where the doctor was referring, watching as a man with a gun aimed it towards Erskine, pulling the trigger twice before running up the stairs with a blue vial in his hands. But only one bullet made contact with Erskine.

Bethany let out a sharp cry of pain, clenching her shoulder. _Good aim,_ she muttered to herself, before stumbling backwards and blacking out.


	3. Chapter 3

****A/N Warning: Mature Content in this chapter, but HEY you chose the rating. My decision to add this part was based on the fact that I've always wondered (you'll understand when you reach it, and you've probably thought about it too, c'mon now) and my dirty mind has created this. Judge how you will.**

Chapter Three

Bethany felt uncharacteristically warm. It wasn't uncomfortable, but pleasant, the feeling tingling throughout her body in a steady wave. It was… nice. Especially since she hadn't had this feeling of blissful sleep in a long time. She was always working in one way or another.

With a sharp jolt upwards, everything came back to her. Steve, Erskine, the bullet.

"Woah, relax," Howard's voice said. "You're fine."

Bethany let out ragged cough, her throat hoarse. "How long was I out?"

"Not long," Howard assured her, handing his sister a glass of water. "Just long enough to bandage you up."

Bethany took notice of the sling holding her shoulder still and her right hand bandaged tightly in wraps. "What happened?"

"You got shot," Howard reminded her.

"I meant after," Bethany said, going to push the sling off of her.

"Beth, don't," Howard told her, stopping her movements. "Just leave it. And after you blacked out, Mr. Super Soldier caught you. He panicked a little, but after I took you from him, he went after the shooter." Bethany sipped at her water, wincing at how cold it was. "Erskine's dead."

The words were quiet, solemn and Bethany could hear the sadness in Howard's voice. "I assumed," was all she said. While she wanted to mourn him, she just couldn't right now. She couldn't allow herself to break down, not now.

"Wait. Steve went _after_ the shooter?!" She asked as realization overcame her. "Has he come back? Is he okay?"

"I haven't heard anything yet," Howard told her, taking her bandaged hand. "Look, you need to be good. Keep the bandages on, get lots of rest. It's important."

She opened her mouth to argue only to hear a commotion from outside. "Mr. Rogers! Pleas-"

Steve then burst into the room, a nurse trying to stop him. "I'm sorry Mr. Stark-"

"It's okay," Bethany spoke up, much to the surprise of everyone in the room. The nurse nodded, stepping out of the room. "Glad to see you're still in one piece."

Steve frowned, taking a step towards the examination bed. "Shouldn't I be saying that to you?"

"Oh, well. I'm not as dainty as I seem," Bethany answered, taking a quick sip of her water. "Howard? Do you think you can go back to the hotel and pick me up a dress with a little less blood?"

Howard looked over to Steve and then back to Bethany. "You sure?"

"I'm fine, you know that." Bethany assured her brother. Howard leaned down and kissed Bethany's forehead before leaving, clapping Steve on the shoulder when he passed him.

"Maybe I should go-"Steve began only to have Bethany shake her head.

"No, I need to talk to you," She interrupted, earning a frown from Steve as he tried to think about what she would say. "Is that your blood?" She started, pointing to where his white shirt was stained.

"It's yours, actually," he answered awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. "I thought… I don't know. I was really afraid that you'd…"

"Die?" Bethany finished, giving him a soft smile. "Nonsense, I still have havoc to rain upon the world."

"I just… I figured you'd be… tired? Pale? You look perfect. Well, not perfect. Not that you aren't perfect. You are. You're the most beautiful woman I've…" He shook his head, trying to recover while Bethany bit her lip in amusement. "You look healthy," he finally settled on, his face red.

"Flesh wound, no big deal." Bethany assured with a wave of her hand, but then holding it up in question. "Although, I don't know what happened to my hand."

"Oh, that's… yeah, that's my fault. I, uh… before I caught you, you put your hand down on some glass. Everything happened so quickly, I just…"

"Steve," Bethany interrupted with a smile. "You need to learn how to talk to women."

"Right?" Steve said scratching his neck again, offering her a shy smile.

Bethany surveyed his body again. It was much easier to think when he had a shirt on, but not by much. The white fabric was stretched around his body in a way that made Bethany's mouth water slightly. Her thoughts towards his body were less than lady-like. "Why are you wet?" Bethany finally settled on. It was better than "Can I lick the crevices of your abdominal muscles?"

Steve looked down at his wet clothes, a lock of damp blond hair falling in his view. "Oh, the guy… he went into a submarine. I… jumped in after him."

"Really?" Bethany said impressed. "Did you get him?"

Steve nodded. "But he killed himself shortly after."

"Coward," Bethany mumbled. "I have to ask… We were planning on getting you to do simple tasks, test your new… physique. You kinda just were thrown into it. How'd it go?"

Steve smiled a little. "It felt amazing. Running was… as easy as walking."

"How was your um… stamina?" Bethany asked, clearing her throat, that feeling of lust filling her again. _I am so screwed_.

"Good," Steve said, oblivious to Bethany's stammers. It never once occurred to him that it was him that was leaving her breathless. "Can I get you some more water?"

Bethany looked at her empty cup, then back to Steve. His blue eyes held immediate concern, and Bethany felt guilt well up inside her. "I can't do this," she finally spoke with a whisper.

"Excuse me?" Steve asked, confusion on his face.

"Take a seat," Bethany insisted, referring to the seat Howard had occupied moments earlier. "I need to confess something to you."

Steve did as she asked, leaning forward slightly. "For reasons I do not know, I… can't seem to lie to you. It may be your puppy dog face, or the fact that everything you say is filled with honesty, but I can't lie to you."

Steve frowned, not understanding where she was going with this. "I'm fine," Bethany continued. "Yes, I was shot, but I'm fine. Absolutely fine." She then removed the sling from her arm, and to Steve's surprise, lowered part of her dress to expose her collarbone. Steve stared at the pale, smooth skin, very much wanting to touch it. Then he realized Bethany's point. She was _fine_.

"How-?" He began reaching forward absentmindedly, touching the soft skin, sending a shiver down Bethany's spine. Steve blushed as he pulled his hand away, folding it in his lap.

Bethany took in a deep breath of air, not sure where to begin. "Dr. Erskine needed a volunteer to test the serum at one of its stages. He didn't know how to go about asking people, so I…"

"You did it without his knowledge." Steve filled when Bethany strayed off.

"Basically," Bethany concluded. "But the serum wasn't ready. I… nothing happened at first. Then one day…" she took in a deep breath. "Howard and I were in the workshop and I cut myself on a sharp edge. There was blood everywhere and then nothing. Erskine was furious with me, but being the good soul that he is… was…" she took in another deep breath, trying to push away all the emotions bubbling to the surface.

"The point is, I can't get hurt. It's a very comforting piece of information though. But Erskine wanted the formula to enhance everything, bring the person to the brink of human perfection. And rapid cellular regeneration on its own isn't that. He still wanted the person to fear things since that is a crucial aspect of being human."

Steve nodded before examining her shoulder again, "And you don't want anyone to know?"

"Would you? And it's no one's business but my own," She reached out to take his hand. "Steve, promise me you won'-"

"Don't worry," Steve assured, squeezing her hand softly. "Your secret is safe with me Miss. Stark."

"Bethany," she reminded him with a soft smile.

He let out a quiet laugh, his damp hair falling in his view. "Bethany."

"See? You can talk to women," Bethany added with a wink. "You just need to get warmed up to it. But Steve? You don't have to be shy when talking to me. In fact, I think even when you stutter it's charming. There's no need to be embarrassed."

"Miss. Stark?" Came a deep voice from behind. Steve and Bethany looked to the door where Colonel Phillips and Peggy stood, eyeing the couple's intertwined hands.

"Colonel. Come in," Bethany spoke as she and Steve's hands untwined, Steve standing up from his chair. "Can I help you with anything?"

"Well, with the doctor gone, we're at a loss towards our next step." The Colonel began. "Until such time as we find a suitable replacement, do you think you can step up and continue the doctor's research?"

Bethany sat up taller in her bed. "I—Colonel, I'm nowhere near as intelligent as him. I mean, yes, I probably know more than you do about the serum, but not nearly enough-"

"Miss. Stark," the Colonel interrupted. "Where do you suggest we begin?"

Bethany sighed, annoyed with his demands. While she was completely fine, she _had_ just been shot. And Dr. Erskine's body wasn't even cold yet. He couldn't wait a week or two? "Umm, well any hope of recreating the serum will be stored in Steve's genetic code. It's a good start, but it could still take years."

"'_Steve_'?" The Colonel asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Colonel," Peggy spoke up. "Perhaps we should return later? Miss. Stark did just wake up from surgery."

"She looks fine to me," the Colonel argued, taking in the healthy glow to Bethany's skin. "Miss. Stark, you do understand how immediate this project is, correct?"

"Of course," Bethany insisted, refraining from rolling her eyes. "But I was only his apprentice. I cannot recreate something of his that I wasn't included in. Rebuilding the Vita-Ray machine, I could do it in my sleep. But the serum?"

"But it can be done," The Colonel stated.

Bethany nodded slowly, "Nothing is impossible."

"Good. The committee will be pleased to hear that." With that, the Colonel turned on his heels and left just as quickly as he came in.

"My shoulder is great, thanks for asking," Bethany called out after him.

Peggy chuckled and sat on the side of her bed. "Men."

"You're telling me," Bethany said, sending a wink up to Steve who blushed.

"I should get going," Steve told the two women. "Change into a pair of pants that _don't _show my ankles?"

Bethany looked down, realizing for the first time how small his old pants were on his new body. "Not a bad idea. I'll see you tomorrow?" He gave her a small nod, a soft smile tugging at his lips. "Go on, get out of here. Go check out that new body of yours."

Steve gave an embarrassed chuckle, ducking his head as the blush spread down his neck. "Agent Carter," he said politely before leaving.

As Steve closed the door behind him, Peggy turned to her with wide eyes and an amused smile on her face. "Big day."

"You're telling me," Bethany said shifting in her bed.

"So?" Peggy asked, digging for dirt. "Colonel Phillips and I interrupted a moment, didn't we?"

"A moment?" Bethany asked. "N-no, we were just talking. Honest."

"Hand holding?" Peggy questioned, a smug smile on her face. "And I saw your face when he came out of that pod."

"Okay, first of all," Bethany said adjusting her sling. "I was merely impressed that it worked."

"And secondly?" Peggy asked.

Bethany chuckled, "Secondly, could you blame me? Have you ever seen a body like that before? I'm entirely sure it isn't humanly possible. And _I _helped create that."

"Right," Peggy chuckled. "I must admit, it's quite an improvement. His personality with that physique?"

Bethany's eyes widened. "Oh God, do you think he'll be okay out in the wild by himself? All that gorgeousness and no experience with women? He'll blush so mad, he may never return to a normal color again."

Peggy laughed hard at her joke. "He seemed to fair pretty well with you."

"Yes, but I push. I push and push until people break their walls down and let me in." Bethany explained, noticing where Howard left some bread and cheese on the table next to her bed. She took the plate and rested it on her knees, taking one of the cheese slices.

"Nonetheless," Peggy began picking up a bread slice. "I think he fancies you."

"He fan- no. Peggy… really? No. No. It doesn't matter."

Peggy chuckled once again. "Darling, you can't say you aren't attracted to him."

"I'm looking for qualities beyond the physical," Bethany said in her best impression of Doctor Erskine. Her face fell when she remembered the events of the day. "He didn't deserve this."

"I know," the agent agreed. "But his last few moments were filled with happiness."

Bethany nodded solemnly. "He went on and on how much he wanted it to be Steve."

A comfortable silence fell over the two before Peggy sighed. "I still think he fancies you."

* * *

><p>Despite Howard's insistence that Bethany stay home the next day, she couldn't stay in bed. There was no reason to. And she could fake a shoulder wound while still working, that much was sure. But the real reason for her joining her brother at the secret base was because she was curious towards what would happen next.<p>

Colonel Phillips had requested that Bethany take some blood samples from Steve while she was there, but the submarine in the middle of the room caught her eye. Straying away from her destination, the Stark siblings stood looking at the submarine, both having their heads tilted slightly to the left.

"Beautiful piece of machinery," Bethany muttered.

"I'm supposed to tear it apart and see how it ticks," Howard said quietly, but smugly. "What do you get to do today, sister dearest?"

"Oh, you know. Take blood from a super soldier. See if I can recreate the serum." Bethany shrugged, which was a little awkward with the sling.

Howard turned to her, his usual cocky smile on his face. "More time with Rogers? Will I be walking down the aisle with you anytime soon?"

Bethany refrained from punching him, just clenching her jaw. "Howard, can you please drop it?"

"You were breathless yesterday," Howard spoke.

"If I recall, so were you."

Howard scowled at her words. "So he won't be asking for your hand any day soon?"

"No," Bethany said annoyed. "Why is that always what everyone assumes? Just leave it alone."

Howard put his hands up in a motion of surrender, then smirked looking over her shoulder. "Your future husband is here."

"Howard!" She yelled moving to attack him, only for him to slip away from her grasp.

"THREATENED! I FEEL THREATENED!" Howard yelled as he ran away.

Bethany let out a frustrated sigh, turning around only to be met with Steve's chest. "Oh! Oh, Steve. Sorry."

"No, i-it was me. I snuck up- you okay?" Steve asked, a tint of pink flooding his face.

Bethany took a couple deep breaths in. "Can we just get this done with?"

Steve, using his better judgment, let Bethany lead him to the room where she laying the day before. Peggy stood in the corner, clipboard in hand. She gave the two a happy greeting, only for Bethany to mumble "morning" back to her.

"Something happen?" Peggy asked as Steve sat on the bed.

"Just my brother," Bethany muttered, taking out some vials and needles. "How do you feel about needles, Steve?"

Steve started to roll up his sleeve, "Uh- not overly fond of them, but who is?"

As she began to draw the blood from his muscular arm, Peggy attempted to calm Bethany down. "So Steve," she started with. "How was your night?"

Steve watched as Bethany studied the blood flowing from his arm, before speaking up slowly. "I-I just went to bed."

"Really?" Peggy asked. "You didn't go out? Meet up with some friends? This is your hometown after all."

Steve shook his head. "No ma'am. It… there was a lot to take in yesterday."

"Were you tired?" Bethany questioned, starting to feel her anger slip away.

"No," Steve replied earnestly. "Just had a lot on my mind." Bethany looked up to him, his view fixed on her. "What about you?"

Bethany sighed, "Well apparently the notes he had me take weren't enough, so I spent the night going over Erskine's notes. Of course, they're in German. _And _coded. It'll take a while for me to understand any of it. I may just have to start from scratch."

"You're really going to try and recreate it?" Peggy asked.

"Colonel Phillips made it seem like I don't have a choice. I'll try, but I won't be able to. If I can make _some_ discoveries though, it'll help when they bring someone new in. I hate the idea that he's being replaced."

"It's war," Peggy reminded her. "We don't have time to properly mourn."

"I know," Bethany mumbled, shaking her head. "So Steve… just wondering, but how are you adjusting? To you know… you're new… look."

Steve reached up to scratch his neck. "It's a little overwhelming. I'm still getting used to how… large I am."

Bethany chuckled softly, sharing a look with Peggy who was smiling. "Yes, well I'm sure looking in the mirror was a shock. Good to see that you have clothes that fit."

"Yeah," Steve said looking down towards his pants. "It's all so weird."

"No doubts?" Bethany questioned suddenly. "I don't think I could undo this."

"No. No," Steve assured. "It'll just take some getting used to, that's all."

Bethany nodded and looked towards Peggy's clipboard. "What's that?"

The agent looked down to the papers. "We found them this morning. Doctor Erskine planned on giving Steve some tests, a physical, really."

Peggy handed Bethany the clipboard and Bethany scanned it. It was basic things, like measuring height, weight, response time, eye sight, heartbeat. She flipped the page to read the second page and instantly felt her face flush. She looked up at Peggy who was smiling devilishly at her. "Are these necessary?"

"Well, the good doctor would have conducted these," Peggy started as if there was nothing wrong with it. "Colonel Phillips said to finish his research."

Bethany put the clipboard down. "Fine."

Peggy smiled, contently. "Well I have a meeting. I'll see you two later."

With that, she sauntered out the room, leaving Steve confused. "What just happened?"

Bethany showed him the clipboard. "Second page, Steve."

He flipped the page and immediately looked alarmed. "You-I-I mean-"he stuttered, hia face the reddest Bethany had ever seen it.

"Relax, I'm not going to insist on that." She said taking the clipboard back and scanning the third page where Dr. Erskine wrote some extra notes. "I don't see how that's anyone's busines- oh. Oh, now I see."

"What?" Steve asked, leaning forward to read what the doctor wrote.

"The serum is supposed to enhance everything," Bethany reminded him. "I guess he wanted to know whether that included… I mean, your genetic material has been altered. He probably wanted to know whether it would affect your capabilities to… uh, conceive a child."

Steve looked mortified. "Do-do you think it-it's still necessary?"

"It's kind of a good idea," Bethany admitted, looking at the clipboard. "Better to know now than later…. I can get a male doctor though, if you'd prefer. I mean, I'd have to find one first, one that's approved by the SSR."

Steve let out a deep breath of air. "It-it's fine. I… you're a doctor. You're a professional."

"Yes," Bethany nodded. "Only if you're okay with this, Steve."

"Are-are you?" He asked quietly, not meeting her gaze.

"I've done a lot of full body physicals," Bethany answered, not technically lying. She knew what a naked man looked like. Usually it wasn't embarrassing for her at all, yet she knew who this man was and her seeing him naked wasn't going to end with them tangled in bed sheets like usual.

He took in a deep breath. "Okay."

"You sure?" Bethany asked, sensing his uncertainty. Steve nodded, eyes closed. "Okay, let me finish taking some more blood first."

A comfortable silence took over while Bethany filled up as many vials as she thought would come in handy. "Feeling lightheaded? Nauseous?"

"No," Steve whispered, eyes still closed. "I feel perfectly fine."

"Well, we're done," Bethany revealed, placing a band aid on his arm. She knew his skin would heal over soon, but even she placed band aids on her skin to make herself look normal.

"Take off your shirt please," Bethany instructed, as she turned around to put the vials on the counter, putting on a pair of sterile gloves. Taking her stethoscope, she turned around to see Steve finish taking off his shirt. _Breath in, breath out_, Bethany reminded herself.

"This'll be cold," she warned as she moved closer to him.

Placing the probe on his chest, she listened to his heart beat steady and strong. "Take a deep breath in," she asked and he complied. She smiled as she heard the clear airway. "You had asthma, right?"

"Yes," Steve said quietly, taking the opportunity to finally look at her.

She looked up at him. "I've never heard a pair of lungs so clear. It's amazing."

"Thank you?" Steve asked quietly, earning him a chuckle from Bethany.

"Want to drop and give me 20?" Bethany asked, taking the stethoscope away. Steve raised his eyebrows slightly, but nodded. She watched as he fell to the ground and began his series of pushups. The improvement was ridiculous. She had seen his jumping jacks, pushups and all the other exercises the SSR put its candidates through. Steve had been less than impressive before. "Okay, good. How about 50 jumping jacks, and then I'll listen to your heart and breathing again."

Bethany sat on the examination table as she watched Steve jumping, admiring the way his muscles flexed with every single movement. When he finished, she was impressed at how little he was exhausted. His heartbeat had increased only slightly, airways still completely cleared.

"Wow," Bethany muttered. She then took in his weight and height, moving to take some of his body measurements. Finally, when the first page was completed, Bethany gave him a little smile. "Would you be more comfortable putting your shirt back on? That way you're not completely naked?"

Steve blushed hard. "I-I don't think it'll make a difference, Miss. Stark."

"Bethany," she reminded him.

"No, I think I'd like to call you Miss. Stark right now," he decided, slowly moving to take off his shoes and socks.

"As long as you go back to Bethany after," she told him strictly.

"We'll see," he said with a little smile. She could see his hands shaking and felt a little bad about having to put him through this, but she was more than a little curious. She'd be lying if she said she hadn't thought about it the night before. "I… I've never been naked in front of a woman before," he confessed.

Bethany covered her eyes. "Tell me when you're comfortable, then." She could hear his pants fall to the floor and she cleared her throat a little, heart beat pounding in her chest. Yes, she had seen naked men before. She knew what to expect, but really, she didn't. _Enhanced everything_ seemed to run through her mind. That would either mean that he was average if he was small before or massive now. Either way, she felt the un-lady like urge to take him hard rush over her. It had been way too long since her last tumble in the sheets, and with no one who looked close to ask handsome as Steve.

"Okay," Steve finally said. Bethany peered through her fingers slightly, feeling heat fill her up. She lowered her hands slowly, taking him in. _Yup, enhanced everything_. His body, being a classic V shape, didn't disappoint as Bethany looked down his body. She leaned down, sense Steve holding his breath. "I'm just making sure everything's in… order…" She finished awkwardly, wincing at her own words.

He was without a doubt, the biggest she'd ever seen in every aspect. But despite this, it didn't look vulgar. With his new body, it fit perfectly. Bethany tried to ignore that he wasn't completely flaccid, knowing full well that there could be plenty of reasons towards his slowly stiffening member, but she couldn't help but wonder what he'd look like with it fully erect, dripping, and ready for her.

She quickly stood back up before her mind could wander anymore, attempting to give him a comforting smile. "Okay, everything looks good."

"Good?" Steve asked slowly, as if he was unsure of what a better response would be.  
>"I do need you to fill this up for me though," Bethany said handing him a plastic cylinder. He looked at it for a couple seconds before turning his gaze back up. "With sperm…" Bethany elaborated.<p>

Steve took it, looking even more embarrassed than Bethany ever thought possible. "Oh, I'll leave the room," she quickly added, almost stumbling over her feet as she tried to get to the door.

"Thank you," Steve replied in a rush. Bethany gave him a quick nod before sneaking out and locking the door for Steve.

"When you're done, just leave it in the first cupboard. I'll be down the hall," she told him through the door.

Steve stared at the plastic cylinder a little longer before settling down on the examination table. The idea that he had to do this mortified him, especially since it was Bethany who was conducting all the tests. Nonetheless, he had signed up for this, and he wasn't going to make a hissy fit over it.

He took in a deep breath and took his member in his hand. He knew it had grown with the rest of him. He wasn't small before, but nothing impressive. Now… now only made him more afraid for his first sexual encounter. He knew it would hurt her regardless of his size.

Steve stroked himself softly, already a little hard from Bethany's gaze on him. It was embarrassing, but a little humbling too when her face showed that she was impressed. _God, she's beautiful_, Steve thought as he moved his hand up and down slowly, taking in every spark of pleasure.

When he first emerged from the capsule, she looked absolutely speechless. And of course, he didn't miss the fact that she couldn't seem to get a sentence out when he had no shirt on. While she had done a much better job today, Steve took pride in the pleasure she had on her face. He knew that appearance wasn't everything, but he couldn't judge her for taking pleasure in his appearance since he couldn't lie and say he didn't take pleasure from her's.

It may have been easier with Bethany not in the room, but part of Steve wished she'd come back and help him. Her fingers were so dainty, so perfect and elegant. The mere thought made Steve groan slightly. He knew it was wrong to think this way, especially about one of the only friends he had, but Bethany was… Bethany. There was no other way to describe her. If Steve was the embodiment of human male perfection, she was the embodiment of female perfection.

Yes, Agent Carter was stunning. Steve would be a fool not to think that. But Bethany… that first day he saw her, he knew she was something else. Her hair, so blonde and looking so soft… and her green eyes which sparkled when she laughed—which was a lot. Steve couldn't forget her curves. She was full, an hourglass figure but it was perfectly proportioned to the rest of her.

He could feel a thin sheet of sweat cover his body as he thought back towards when Bethany leaned down to inspect him. He remembered having to hold in his breath as her dress hugged her backside tightly and he caught a slight glimpse down her neckline. He knew he twitched once or twice, but Bethany didn't seem to notice or mind.

Steve let out another low moan, opening his eyes and looking at the bulging and pulsing member in his hand. Now fully erect, Steve knew he was above average in both length and girth. He felt a shiver rake through him as his fingers caressed the head. Precum and sweat mingled together as Steve hurried his movements. With his other hand, Steve dared to touch his swollen balls. He hadn't missed Bethany's careful gaze at them either. _Oh shit_, Steve thought to himself as the pleasure increased tenfold. It had never been like this, so good, so pleasurable. But Steve found himself wanting more. Someone to share it with.

The very thought of Bethany in there with him, his limbs tangled with hers, her hot breath on his neck where she was panting his name drove him to clench his teeth and pump even more furiously than he had before. He felt his body begin to spasm, his movements becoming awkward and frantic. Taking the plastic cylinder, he let out a deep moan as he spilled himself into the container. It was way more than he was usually capable of, Steve noted with mild amusement.

Putting the lid over the container, Steve took in some deep breaths. After a moment or two, he realized he was completely rested and with enough motivation, he could go for round two. The idea tempted him, but he remembered Bethany down the hall and thought other of it. He quickly wiped up a little mess he made before pulling his clothes on. Sending a swift prayer up to the Big Guy, Steve hoped his face wasn't too red.

He put the full cylinder in the cupboard before stepping out. He walked the long hallway for a couple seconds before he was brought out to the wide open space of the base. He frowned slightly, then noticed Bethany standing over her brother, arguing with him about the submarine they brought in.

"What do you mean we're years away from this technology?" Bethany demanded. "We're not. We're just looking at it wro-"

"Beth, you can stop anytime. Could you rebuild this?" Howard questioned leaning against the metal.

Steve watched as Bethany scoffed. "With enough time and money? Sure. Easy."

"Right," Howard muttered as Steve drew closer. "Ah, your patient is here."

"What?" Bethany said before looking up at Steve. "Oh, Steve. That was quick. Oh-oh, I didn't mean it like…"

He could feel his face heat up again, which was getting very irritating. "What do I do now?"

"Agent Carter?" Bethany called out. The agent turned around and moved over to the group. "Is Steve done for the day?"

"All the tests done?" Peggy questioned with a straight face.

Bethany nodded, "I just need to take a closer look at his DNA, but I've already collected the samples."

"What do we have here, Mr. Stark?" Colonel Phillips said, coming up from behind with Senator Brandt.

"Speaking modestly, I'm the best mechanical engineer in this country," Howard started. "I have no idea what's inside this thing or how it works. Beth has some ideas though."

Steve smiled slightly as everyone turned to look at the blonde, expectantly waiting. "Uh—the technology is more advanced than us. Clearly they've unlocked some secret. With this knowledge, all I can say is that their weapons? They'll also be getting more and more advanced. More than ours will. All signs point to HYDRA."

"Who?" The Senator asked annoyed.

"The Nazi deep science division led by Johann Schmidt," Peggy enlightened.

"The man is crazy," Bethany added. "He thinks he's a God or something. And he isn't the only one. HYDRA is more than just a weapons. They're like a cult."

"Exactly," Colonel Phillips agreed. "They think he's invincible."

"Sounds like he needs a good kick in the balls…" Steve heard Bethany mutter only to be lightly elbowed by her brother.

"What are you doing to do about it?" The Senator asked.

"I spoke to the President this morning," the Colonel began. "As of today, the SSR is being re-tasked. We are taking the fight to HYDRA. Agent Carter, Starks, pack your bags. We're flying to London tonight."

"London?" Bethany spoke with a smile.

"Sir," Steve said reminding everyone of his presence. "If you're going after Schmidt, I want in."

The Colonel didn't seem pleased at his words. "You're an experiment. You're going to Alamogordo."

"Alamogordo?" Bethany questioned before Steve could. "Did I hear that right? The serum worked. _Trust me_, it worked."

"I asked for an army," the Colonel said turning to Steve before the man could blush at Bethany's words. "All I got was you. You are not enough."

Steve clenched his teeth together angrily. He was right back where he started. He wasn't being given the opportunity to fight for his country, but be pushed to the back. "Isn't one better than none?" He heard Bethany ask.

"Sometimes, Miss. Stark, you don't question those superior to you." With that, the Colonel stepped away, Bethany wrinkling her nose in disgust.

"Then I wouldn't get to question anything," Bethany muttered.

"I think we may be missing the point," Senator Brandt stepped in. "I've seen you in action, Steve. More importantly, the country has seen in. Paper?"

Steve frowned but watched as a boy following the Senator handed him the paper. On it was a first page spread about his little adventure the day before, completed with a picture of him holding the taxi door as a shield. "Can I see?" Bethany asked, suddenly right beside Steve.

He watched as she took in the headline and the photo, smiling slightly. "Enlistment lines have been around the block since your picture hit the news stands," The Senator continued. "You don't take a solider, a symbol like that and hide him in a lab. Son, do you want to serve your country on the most important battlefield of the war?"  
>Steve felt happiness surge through him. "Sir, that's all I want."<p>

"Then congratulations," Senator Brandt said with a greasy smile. "You just got promoted." With that, the man walked away, leaving Peggy, Howard, Bethany and Steve very confused.

"What just happened?" Bethany finally asked. "Doesn't matter. You're on the front page Steve! How cool!"

"Beth," Howard said suddenly. "I'm just gonna pack up some tools and then we'll head home to pack for London. Five minutes, okay?"

"Fine," she said waving him away. Peggy gave Bethany and Steve a smile before following the mechanic. "Looks like I won't be seeing you for a while."

"I guess not," Steve answered, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"But I don't want you to hesitate to contact me with _any_ questions," she said as she walked over to a workbench and pulled a pen out of her hair. "Here's our address in London. We'll probably be moving constantly, but I heard the mail service isn't _horrible_, so just giving my name and division should suffice."

Steve nodded as he took the newspaper with her address on it. "Thank you, Bethany."

"For?" She asked confused.

He shrugged. "Everything."

* * *

><p><strong>**AN: I mean, it's Steve. He may be a gentleman, but the word 'man' is still in there. If you decide to stay for more, there will be smut-like material further on.**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Bethany's position in the SSR shifted almost every day. Half the time, Colonel Phillips was breathing down her neck to translate Dr. Erskine's notes. The other half, he was insisting on her helping Howard with weapons and development. They even dragged her to the medical tent once or twice. She had been pulled every which way so much that she didn't even realize the weeks pass by. They moved from London to Italy to France back to London so much, she lost all concept of time and place.

Bethany had studied Steve's sperm before she left the base that night in Brooklyn. She knew that it was better to test it when it was fresh, but with Howard nagging her, she had packed it and brought it home. In the lab in the basement, she began to study it again, thinking she wouldn't be able to analyze it correctly, but was wrong. _Enhanced everything_ echoed through her head again.

She had finally thrown it out, shaking her head at the lifespan of 'Steve's Super Soldier Sperm', as she had taken to calling it. She hadn't discovered much other than the fact that Steve should be careful when having sex. She immediately wrote him, to which she got a letter back four weeks later. She could picture him blushing while writing it.

_Dear Bethany,_

_Thank you for letting me know. While that is not a worry of mine currently, it is good to know for the future. I honestly hope that you are well._

_I hope to see you in the future,_

_Steve Rogers_

It was short and to the point, but Howard had stolen it one night and claimed that he most likely wrote the letter more than once. Showing it to her under a strong light, she could see the aggressive pen marks from the letters Steve wrote beforehand.

"Where are we?" Bethany asked one day. The room they were working in was dimly lit, but she knew the weather outside was just as dull.

"Italy," she heard Howard say as he looked over some blueprints.

"And what month is it?" She asked picking at her chipped red nail polish.

"November," Howard mumbled.

"November?" Bethany asked. "Where has my life gone?"

"Take a break," Howard suggested. "Go walk around the base, meet some soldiers. Go to the show. I don't know, but you seriously need a break, you crazy woman."

Bethany hated that he was right but… he was right. She honestly had no idea so much time had passed since she left the United States. "I'm seriously rethinking my life."

"Oh yeah?" Howard asked, turning to her slightly. "And what part are you rethinking?"

Bethany pushed a curl behind her ear. "The being in a dark lab with my brother 24/7. I used to have fun. Remember that? Remember when I went out dancing? Met boys?"

"I remember you returning home at three in the morning," he mumbled.

"Exactly," Bethany said nodding. "Fun."

"Then go out and have fun with a solider," Howard answered. "Hell, they're probably desperate for a pretty girl's attention. And with the nurses not being allowed to have any fun-"

"You make me sound like the last choice," Bethany interrupted. "That's a huge improvement to my self-confidence."

"Look, I hear things around the base. You wouldn't be their last choice. I'd punch them, but they have both height and strength over me, so you're on your own," Howard mumbled before silence overcame them. Bethany could see her reflection in the scrap piece of metal in front of her. She had looked better in the past, dark circles under her eyes and her hair in need of a good wash, but she wasn't hideous.

They remained silent for a couple of minutes before Howard turned to her with a huge smile. "I forgot to tell you! Guess who's here."

"Hitler?" Bethany asked bored, pushing away some tools from the work area.

"Nope," Howard said, popping the 'p'. "Your husband."

"Husband?" Bethany scrunched her face. "I don't remember getting married."

Howard shook his head and began searching for something on the crowded desk before handing her a poster. Bethany frowned as she read it. "Steve Rogers," Howard explained.

Bethany's gaze moved to Howard. "_This _was his promotion?"

"Where have you _been?_" Howard almost yelled. "You actually have been away from the real world. But go. See him. Gab a little."

"He's not my husband," was her response as she put the poster down and left the lab. While she had been drowning in her work the last few months, she had thought about Steve more than once. She always wanted to write to him, but never knew what to say. Although, it was much easier to think about him without his naked body being fresh in her mind.

The skies overhead showed that it was about to rain and Bethany cursed under her breath. The ground was also very muddy and Bethany wished she wore boots opposed to heels. She wasn't really sure where to go, but the direction of the makeshift stage seemed to be a good start.

Carefully making her way over, Bethany pulled her white lab coat closer to her, the green dress looking all-too fancy for the area. A few lounging soldiers whistled as she walked by, but Bethany only continued her way forward. She could see someone sitting on the steps, and the blond hair was a good give-away. She smiled as she saw his body leaned over a sketchpad.

"Hi stranger," she said as she sat down beside him.

Steve turned, alarmed but smiled. "Miss- Bethany. What are you doing here?"

"Oh, you know," Bethany said waving her hand a little. "A little of this. A little of that. And then living in a dark makeshift lab, not having a life."

"Sounds… eventful."

Bethany gave a dry laugh. "Not as eventful as you, Steve. Or should I say Captain America?"

He bowed his head and Bethany could see that familiar blush overcome his features. "Not what I had in mind, but at least I'm making some difference."

"The doctor in me is dying to know," Bethany began. "Any changes?"

"No," Steve answered lightly, shaking his head. "Everything… everything is the same."

"Everything?" Bethany asked, amused. "Nothing has changed since we last saw each other?"

"What are you referring to?"

Bethany just shrugged. "As your doctor, and your friend, I am merely wondering if any woman has caught your eye. Stuck on some sweet girl from a small town? Maybe a date or two?"

She was prying, but she was convincing herself it was because she wanted to know how the sex was. It was something that had been in the back of her mind ever since the experiment day, and she was positive that she didn't even need to be the one he had sex with in order to quiet that thought. She just wanted to know if _his _enhancement enhanced the overall outcome. Although, a few stray dreams had very carefully demonstrated to her that it did.

Steve's face didn't seem to change as he shook his head. "I mean, there's been a few women who seemed… interested, but it's only the character."

"You think they want to date you simply because you're a great American hero?" She asked, not believing him. Sure, the image was attractive. And hell, so was he. But Steve had a lot more to offer than that, and it would surprise her if women didn't see that in him.

"A fraud," Steve muttered. "I haven't done anything."

Bethany bit her lip carefully, trying to find the right words to comfort him. "You'll never find anyone with that attitude."

"And how has your luck been?" Steve asked, turning the tables. "With men?"

Bethany frowned. "Did you miss the part where I said I've been living in a dark makeshift lab? With my brother, I might add. I haven't met anyone new in months. A pretty crummy experience all-in-all."

"What a sad team we make," Steve said with a chuckle.

Bethany slapped his arm lightly. "Once this war is over, we'll go out prowling. I know this great club back in Brooklyn. And no one needs to know that you're Captain America. You _are_ wearing a mask on the poster. We'll just be regular people, looking for that special someone."

Steve nodded quietly. "How's Agent Carter?"  
>Bethany raised an eyebrow, amused. "Peggy? Last time I heard, she's doing just fine. Why?"<p>

"No reason," Steve answered. "Just curious."

"She's single," Bethany tested. Steve didn't react to this at all. "Play your cards right, and it could be her going to the club with you."

"I-I didn't mean it like that," Steve said, looking at his hands. "I was just wondering. Making conversation."

"What's eating you?" Bethany asked quietly, realizing that he seemed to want to say something but was holding back.

He let out a deep sigh and looked at her concerned face. "It's nice talking to you. I've been lonely. And being lonely makes you realize just how much you want another person to share your life with."

Bethany groaned as his words touched her again. "Will you stop saying beautiful things and making me want to squeeze the life out of you?"

"What?" Steve asked alarmed.

"You know when you see a puppy, and it's doing something cute, all you want to do is hug it? Well when you talk so beautifully, all I want to do is hug you." Bethany confessed.

Steve gave her a small smile and then pushed back a lock of his hair. "A hug?"

Bethany raised an eyebrow. "A hug. Do you think you cannot blush for five seconds?"

Steve smirked as Bethany moved in slightly and wrapped her arms around him. Steve hesitated but slowly wrapped his arms around her. Bethany smiled as she was enveloped in Steve's warmth. It was so comfortable, just like being in the lab with Howard. So natural.

"I'm glad we're friends," Bethany let out.

Steve didn't answer but took in the smell of her hair. While there was the strong scent of whatever she washed her hair with, mixed with her perfume, Steve could smell some rust and metal from her hours in the lab with Howard. It made him smile against her hair. Her words however, filled him with a little bit of sadness.

With the past months, he tried to build the courage to tell her how he thought of her every day. During the daytime, he saw her smile, the bounce of her curls and the way she laughed at almost everything in that sweet girlish way. At night, when he was alone, he saw her voluptuous curves, long lean legs and the look of desire she had when he emerged from that capsule. He had never had dreams about any woman the way he had with Bethany. It wasn't just her looks, but the way he felt when he thought about her.

Steve assumed that the next time they saw each other the tension would pick up again. He was almost counting on it. But with her words of being friends and the idea that they go out looking for dates together made his heart falter. _She's out of your league_, a dim voice echoed in his mind. _She's brilliant, rich and overall the most beautiful woman ever to exist._

"Steve?" Bethany spoke up suddenly. "You're crushing me."

"Oh," Steve said breaking apart from her. "Sorry."

She just shook her head as she smiled sheepishly and began to blush. "Don't be a stranger, okay? I have to go back to the lab. I just thought of something I forgot to do. But come find me later, okay?"

He nodded understandingly as she got up and walked away. The rain started to fall, and he saw Bethany use her lab coat as protection over her head. He sighed and began to finish his sketch wondering if he'd ever get the chance to know Bethany as more than friends.

* * *

><p>"So?" Howard asked as Bethany flopped back to her usual spot at the desk. "How was Stevie boy?"<p>

Bethany let out a long sigh. "Still big."

Howard let out a chuckle. "Was he happy to see you?"

"Yeah," Bethany said, leaning her head down on the desk. "He smiled. I even got a hug out of hi- DON'T." She yelled as Howard raised his hand to start teasing her. "Steve and I are friends. The word friends was used in the conversation."

"By him?" Howard asked, turning his full attention to his little sister. "Or by you?"

Bethany thought about it. "I-I think by me."

Howard shook his head and groaned. "No wonder you're still single."

"Excuse me?" Bethany asked, sitting up straight. "Come again? I'm single by choice, if you remember."

"I remember a lot of you sleeping with random men and never talking to them again," Howard said bluntly. "Yes or no, are you attracted to him?"

Bethany frowned at the question. "What are you getting at?"

"Yes, or no?" Howard asked again, calmly. "Do you think he's a dreamboat?"

Bethany rolled her eyes. It was typical of Howard to only focus on physical appearance. But Bethany had been victim to falling for attractive men time and time again, and they were all the same. She knew Steve was a good man, despite barely knowing him personally. However, she had been burned in the past for jumping too quickly and she wasn't going to do that ever again. She wanted to wait until she felt something besides camaraderie or physical attraction before ever becoming serious with a man again.

"Yes, he's attractive. I thought that even before the serum. He had nice facial features. And good hair. You know I'm a sucker for nice hair."

"Okay," Howard said moving his chair closer to her. "Now why would you tell a guy you think is attractive that he's just your friend?"

"Because he is?" Bethany responded.

"You're missing the point," Howard sighed. "You find him attractive. And you've said since day one that he was a good soul. Explain to me how you _don't _want a chance of a future with him?" Silence filled the room as Bethany bit her lip. "Just because you're friends now doesn't mean you'll be friends in a week. In two weeks. And if you keep stressing just friends, he'll get the impression that you want to be just friends."

"I'm too busy to fall in love," Bethany stated firmly.

"You're impossible," Howard told her with a roll of his eyes.

"A man like Steve Rogers needs a typical housewife," Bethany spoke as an excuse. "Not someone who works every day all day, who drinks as much as I do and has a very long history of being, for lack of a better word, a floozy."

Howard touched her hand. "Beth, you and I both know that you don't want to be doing this forever. You want that picket white fence with the kids running around in the yard."

"I don't want to be an old lady. Not now," Bethany said quietly.

"After the war though," Howard finished. "And chances are, that's what Steve wants too."

"I'm not in love with him," Bethany fought back.

"You haven't had the chance to fall in love," Howard spoke with promise. "If you carry a torch for him, no matter how small, don't just shake that away."

Bethany just shook her head and got up to work on the aircraft they were repairing. Colonel Phillips wanted to make scrap metal out of it, but Bethany insisted that she could fix it. It was the only thing to keep her sane. She was just about finished with repairing it, and with grudge, she took part of it apart again. She wasn't willing to let the only thing that brought her joy slip away just yet.

"Stark!" A British voice called from behind. Bethany crawled out from under the plane and watched as Peggy and Steve came in, both wet from the falling rain. "We need your help."

Howard immediately walked over, but Bethany kept her place by the plane. "What's wrong?"

"We need a ride," Peggy elaborated.

"I'm going to rescue the 107th," Steve explained. "It would be a hell of a lot easier if I got a ride to where they were captured."

Bethany frowned. "You're going alone? Are you crazy?"

"Maybe," Steve said noticing her for the first time. "But my best friend is there. I have to save him. Or at least die trying."

Howard turned to Bethany. "That plane just about ready?"

Bethany looked towards the hunk of metal she just took apart. "Well, it was… and then I took some of it apart. If we work together, we could get it working in 10 minutes flat."

Howard nodded, rolling up his sleeves. "Then let's get to work, sister."

Bethany looked over to Steve where he was watching her, an expression of gratefulness on his face. "Damn you and your nobleness…." She mumbled before turning back to her work.

* * *

><p>Howard had refused to let Bethany pilot the plane, no matter how hard she begged. With resentment, she sat at the back with Steve and Peggy, a look of annoyance on her face. She hadn't forgotten what Howard said earlier and was now surveying Steve critically. What she did notice now however, was that Peggy and Steve were watching each other carefully.<p>

She assumed there would be a feeling of jealousy eating at her heart, but she saw none of that. Bethany was truly married to her work. It would take a lot of convincing and someone truly worth it to change that. And most likely so much work that she wouldn't be able to look at it without wanting to scream and cry.

"The HYDRA camp is in Krossberg. It's up between these two mountain ranges," Peggy explained. "It's a factory of some kind. We should be able to drop you around the doorstep."

"Just get me as close as you can," Steve answered. "You know, you three are going to be in a lot of trouble when you land."

"And you won't?" Peggy questioned.

"Where I'm going, if anybody yells at me, I can just shoot them."

Bethany chuckled, "That's not necessarily a good thing."

"They'll undoubtedly shoot back," Peggy elaborated.

"Well," Steve said pulling his shield up. "Let's hope this is good for something."

Bethany studied the shield and let out a chuckle. "I wonder if they got the idea of a shield because you used the cab door as a shield that day. It even has stars just like the door."

Steve looked at the shield and gave it a little smile. "I almost forgot about that."

"Agent Carter," Howard spoke from the front of the plane. "If you're not in too much of a hurry, maybe we could stop for some late night fondue."

"Oh, and what do you except me to do?" Bethany asked crossing her arms. "I have better things to do than watch you satisfy your indulgences."

Howard chuckled, "Oh, lighten up Bethany. We can always find someone for you, just for kicks."

"I'd rather stab myself with a pencil," Bethany said with a scoff. "But if you let me pilot-"

"No." Howard spoke sternly. "This air space is not safe. I don't trust your judgment."

"Hurtful."

There was a pregnant pause before Steve went "So you two… do you… fondue?"

Bethany turned to look at Steve, eyebrows raised slightly. _What is he getting on about?_

Peggy took matters into her own hands by giving Steve the transponder. "Active it when you're ready and the signal will lead us straight to you."

"Are you sure this thing works?" Steve asked, studying it.

"It's been tested more than you, pal." Howard assured.

"Haven't you learned to trust us by now, Steve?" Bethany questioned him crossing her arms tighter. "I mean, you did get into a metal death trap built by us, entrusting that we weren't going to kill you. And here we are today, in another metal death trap that came to us by literally falling out of the sky. It could do just that at any point."

Bethany's words all but came true as the plane started to shake with the assault of warfare. Bethany rushed to Howard's side, looking out the window. "Get back here," Peggy shouted over the loud noise. "We're taking you all the way there."

Bethany craned her neck to watch as Steve prepared to jump out of the plane. "I'm jumping this plane. Turn this thing around and get the hell out of here."

"You can't give me orders!" Peggy argued.

"The hell I can't," Steve responded. "I'm a Captain."

With that, he jumped out the plane, Bethany watching Peggy's shocked face. "He has a point," she told the agent as Howard began to turn the plane around. "Well, that went well."

"Just glad you didn't go with him," Howard said. "I seriously thought you'd jump after him. That would be a very long conversation with Colonel Phillips I'd rather avoid."

"Why would I do that?" Bethany asked. "I don't have a death wish- _oh_. Shit. I should've."

Howard chuckled. "You are a brilliant gal, Beth, but you can truly be a Dumb Dora when it comes to common sense."

"Why would you follow him?" Peggy asked. "Bethany?"

Bethany bit her lip and turned to Howard for help. She wasn't about to admit to Peggy that Steve could have used Bethany as a human shield opposed to that thin piece of metal. Chances were that she'd do a much better job at it. "Are we going to have that fondue or not?" Bethany asked, hoping Peggy would give up.

"Howard," Peggy said strongly, waiting for an explanation.

Howard just winked at Bethany before saying "she loves him."

Bethany groaned. "Can we stop with that? I don't. Not in that way. I mean, I care for him, but I'm not pining after him."

Peggy raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced by this. Whether it was Howard's lie or Bethany's statement however, she wasn't sure. "Oh really?"

Howard chuckled, "I know, right? You won't be starring in any movies any time soon, Beth. You're a horrible liar."

* * *

><p>Bethany spent the rest of the night curled up on her bed trying to sort her feelings out. It angered her that both Peggy and Howard seemed to be convinced that Bethany was in love with Steve. She tried to fight back, tell them that they were both crazy, but they just brushed her away.<p>

Howard's earlier words about whether she thought Steve was attractive came back. _Yes_, she thought he was attractive. And _yes_, he was a good man. And perhaps the idea of rolling around in the bed sheets with him had crossed her mind more than once. But none of this meant she was in love with him. Right? It was just pure sexual attraction, something that was completely natural.

Bethany groaned, scratching the side of her head. _Wouldn't I know if I loved him_? She asked herself for what was most likely the one hundredth time. _Wouldn't I be crying his name right now, praying that he'll come back_?

Of course, she _did_ want him to come back. If anyone deserved a long and happy life, it was Steve Rogers. A beautiful wife capable of giving him as many children as he wanted as they grew old with their friends. Bethany sighed loudly, throwing the sheets off her body before deciding to get up and tinker a little more.

She settled herself in front of some prototypes of weapons Howard was developing. _Who needs love when you have mechanics_? The thought ran false in her head, her knowing how much she craved another body in her bed so late at night. She, like Howard, greatly enjoyed the company of another person, but neither were ready for a serious relationship. And she had sworn off acting like a call girl around the same time as Pearl Harbor when things came into perspective for her. At the time, she thought sex was a contribution to her happiness, but it was fleeting, only existing for a few moments before falling back into a deep dark hole. She was too mature for one-night stands but not mature enough for a serious relationship.

_Exactly,_ she seemed to taunt herself. _Not ready for a serious relationship! How can I be in love with Steve if I know I'm not ready for love? _Taking apart the gun and studying it, Bethany decided that the Howard's design wasn't right. Not compared to the rumored HYDRA weapons.

As she began to establish a better design, she suddenly stilled, pain wracking through her body. As tears welled up in her eyes, she couldn't figure why she was breaking down like this. Taking in deep breaths and trying to clear her mind, she realized that the breakdown was due to where her life was turning. Holed up in a dark lab, trying to create a weapon of mass destruction, no ring on her finger, only the desire of a beneficial friendship, despite knowing that it didn't provide actual happiness. And the idea that she was crying for herself and not a brother or lover at war only dug the knife in deeper. She had fooled herself into believing that she was okay. That work and Howard and a good fuck every once in a while was all that she needed.

And while she still didn't know whether she loved Steve or not or whether she wanted to work towards a real relationship with anyone, she sure as hell knew she was done feeling sorry for herself.

* * *

><p>Howard found Bethany with her head down on the worktable, mouth open wide and hair wild. It was a sight to see, and he couldn't help but laugh at her. He slammed a hand down beside her head, jolting her from her slumber. His laughter only got louder at the dazed confusion on her face as she shook her head, tasting bitterness in her mouth.<p>

"Is this what I look like when I spend the night down here?" Howard asked as Bethany rubbed her eyes.

"Mmm?" Bethany mumbled, trying to make sense of her surroundings. "What time is it?"

"Get up," Howard just said. "Get all dolled up'd. There's a celebration going on."

"We win the war?" Bethany asked plainly, noticing some black liner from her eyes that rubbed onto her hand.

"Nah," Howard answered. "But Steve's back. Along with four hundred men."

"That's nice," Bethany said absentmindedly, sticking her tongue out briefly at the bitterness that had settled into her mouth. "I need to brush my teeth."

Howard watched as she slowly got up, only to turn to face him again. "Wait, what?"

"He liberated four hundred men," Howard repeated. "A regular hero."

"Shit," Bethany muttered.

"Basically," Howard agreed. "And I think Phillips is going to change his whole 'one is not enough' outlook on life. Clearly, one is."

"Clearly," Bethany mumbled dazed.

Howard frowned, trying to comprehend her reaction. "You know, I figured you'd run out to see him. Wrap your arms around him and whisk him away for an afternoon of coming undone."

Bethany gave him a pointed look. "See, that would be my reaction if I loved him. I'm gonna go wash up."

As his sister went to clean up, Howard crossed his arms, completely confused. _Maybe I'm wrong,_ he thought to himself. _Maybe she... doesn't love him? _The thought was an eye opener, since Howard assumed it would be so simple. He had been ragging on her about this because it was fun, but he truly believed that Bethany had some feelings for Rogers. He was a good man and wouldn't be in control of a relationship with Bethany. She had to have some control, if not all of it. She was too much like him, and something he wouldn't tell her, too much like their mother. Mrs. Stark had been the head of the household, their father barely having any say in anything. But Bethany had always hated their mother, and would cause Howard great bodily harm if he told her this.

And of course, he didn't miss how all the women watched Steve. How even Peggy couldn't take her eyes off of him. Bethany was no exception, and when she talked about him, there was no annoyance or frustration in her tone, like every other man she had ever known. Steve was the _perfect _man for anyone, but more importantly, for someone as hard-headed and stubborn as Bethany. _Maybe she just doesn't know,_ Howard concluded with a smile. _Like I said, she's Dumb Dora in regards to so much._

* * *

><p>Steve was feeling a lot at the moment. Happiness. Pride. Relief. Accomplishment. Yet, there was a small bit of sadness flooding through him. Arriving back at camp, Peggy came forward where he didn't miss the flirting made—surprisingly—by both of them. It was a nice change for a woman to look up at him in wonderment, but he knew that it was the wrong woman.<p>

He knew he didn't know Bethany too well, but from what he did know, she was loud, passionate, funny and full of life. Not to mention, a goddess would be green with envy from her stunningly good looks. From what he knew of her, he loved her. And he wanted her to feel the same way too.

After a particularly long, but fulfilling meeting with Colonel Phillips, Steve went to change out of his show clothes. Suddenly, the tights didn't bring embarrassing memories. He could wear them with pride. Bucky was back, well and by his side, including four hundred other men, all expected to live. The tights he-

He stopped in his tracks as he saw Bethany come out of the makeshift lab, pulling a bomber jacket onto her body. Steve couldn't help but chuckle at how out of place she looked in her red dress and tan heels. The face she made when her heels sunk into the ground made his heart flutter. Shaking his head slightly, he walked closer to her where she was struggling to get her heel out of the mud.

"Need help?" Steve asked as he reached her.

Bethany looked up surprised, then smiled. "Well if it isn't the hero of the day! Want to do another heroic act and help me?"

Steve gave her a shy smile before bending down. Bethany put her hands on Steve's shoulder and lifted her foot out of her shoe so Steve could take a hold of it and pull it out. He did it with ease and stood up to give it to her. She kept one hand on his shoulder, one foot bare.

"Someone should give you some combat boots," Steve remarked as they stood there. "This isn't really the duds to be wearing here."

"I've been looking for a pair in my size," Bethany explained. "My feet are too small."

Steve looked down at her bare foot, hovering just above the ground. It was tiny and pale and if he was a braver man, he'd capture it in his hands and kiss it. "Do you… uh- do you need a lift?"

Bethany frowned for a couple seconds before smiling, realization hitting her. "Yes, a lift would be swell."

Steve nodded shyly as Bethany snaked her arm around his neck, Steve picking her up bridal style. "Where to?"

"Well, I was actually coming to congratulate you, so you need to be anywhere?" She asked, Steve trying to fight the pleasant feeling of her breath on his neck from affecting him.

"N-no, not particularly." Steve stuttered.

"You hungry, Cap?" Bethany decided. "I could go for some food. Even if it's the mush they serve 'round here."

"Cap," Steve said amused. "Did you find out about my promotion?"

Steve started walking as Bethany's wiggled her feet in the air, no stockings webbing her toes together. "I assumed. I'm happy for you. There's no better day then finding out your greatest invention is a success in life. Usually the pride is saved for a baby, but you'll do fine."

"Invention?" Steve chuckled.

Bethany shrugged. "Let's admit it, would you have been carrying me like a hot shot, even though you're in tights, as a ninety-pound asthmatic? And I had a hand in this. Now, tell me everything. And I do mean everything. I heard a certain Peggy Carter was here to welcome you."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

"He was blushing," Bethany told Peggy as the agent touched up Bethany'. "Every time I brought you up. I swear!"

"That's only because he's stuck on you and is too embarrassed to say so," Peggy theorized. "He fancies yo-"

"Ladies!" Howard shouted, looking up from the blueprints in front of him, annoyed at the back and forth. "Will you stop? Some of us have better things to talk about over Captain America's love life."

Bethany and Peggy looked at Howard briefly before looking back at each other as if he said nothing. "Look, I'm not interested in a relationship with _anyone _right now, so just go for it. He'll fall for you. Let's say he is interested in me, it's probably because I've spent more time with him than you have."

"I don't know," the British agent said quietly. "I don't want to be his second choice."

Bethany let out an annoyed sigh. "Peggy, he barely knows you. All he sees is this beautiful agent who will bust his chops if he takes a single step out of line. And more importantly, that believes in him. Let him see more. You have to open yourself up a little more."

"Maybe you have a point," Peggy allowed, finishing off Bethany's nails. The blonde's back straightened until Peggy finished her sentence. "This is war. I shouldn't be interested in having a relationship with anyone. And I'm not, really. It's just nice to have someone who sees you as more than a silly woman. And he does."

Bethany nodded slowly, agreeing before a smile split her face. "Still, he's fun to be around, isn't he?"

"Okay," Howard said getting out of his chair. "Can one of you, or both of you, seeing as I don't care, tell him that I have some things I want him to see tomorrow?"  
>"Go," Bethany told her automatically. "Get all dolled up and-"<p>

"Not without you," Peggy interrupted. "War isn't a time to fall in love. If we stick together, stay strong-"

"You ladies are impossible," Howard mumbled before leaving the area.

* * *

><p>Bucky was thrilled to be where he was now, surrounded by good people, including his best friend. The bar had a very dark mood to it, despite the happy cheering and singing. The lights were dim, the air smelling strongly of alcohol and the tables a little dingy. That didn't matter however when Peggy Carter and Bethany Stark walked in the room.<p>

Bucky had met Peggy formally, but had yet to with Bethany. He had seen her around the base, and Steve had mentioned her more than once, but they had yet to have a proper introduction. Smirking as the two women walked up to him and Steve, he couldn't help but notice that Steve's breathing had stilled completely.

Peggy looked beautiful, albeit bit out of place, out of her uniform. On her impressive curves was a red silk dress, ruffles around the lower neckline. Her lips, as usual, were stained with red lipstick, giving her the image of a devil temptress. Bethany wore a more daring dress, the tight black fabric falling to only her knees. It had a deep sweetheart neckline, very small straps around her shoulders, one covered in a large white silk bow and her blonde curls were loosely tied back, a deep and thick wave threatening to fall over her eye at any moment. Her makeup was smoky, lips red and Bucky had to stop himself from taking in her body anymore. She was dressed to turn heads and he could tell this wasn't her first time doing so either.

"Gentlemen," Bethany said as they reached them, a not-so-innocent smile on her face. "Mind if we join you tonight?"

"Not at all," Bucky spoke up gladly. "I believe we haven't been formally introduced. Sergeant James Barnes. Bucky."

She took his outstretched hand, him leading her fingers to his lips, kissing it softly. "Bethany Stark. No title."

Bucky smile slightly at her words, letting go of her hand. While they looked dainty and frail, he could feel the callouses she earned from all her hard work. It was intriguing that both of the women in front of him could hold their own. "Care for a drink?"

"A Bronx, please," Bethany told him with a flirtatious smile. "Heavy on the gin."

"Agent Carter?" Bucky turn to ask her, only for her to shake her head.

"I really shouldn't, I just came to give Steve a message." Peggy responded.

"What?" Bethany asked, looking confused. She lowered her voice to a whisper, but the men could hear her perfectly. "You're not staying?"

"Howard has some equipment for you to try. Tomorrow," Peggy continued, ignoring Bethany completely.

"Sounds good," Steve said with a nod.

"I see your top squad is prepping for duty," Peggy spoke, looking to where the team was happily drinking and singing.

"You don't like music?" Bucky asked, the idea almost foreign.

"I do, actually." Peggy replied with a soft smile, gaze on Steve. "I might even, when this is all over, go dancing."

"Then what are we waiting for?" He questioned, using all the charm he could muster.

Peggy, however, just turned to Steve and with a twinkle in her eye said "the right partner."

As she gave a time for the meeting the following morning and left, Bucky couldn't believe what just happened. "I'm invisible. I'm turning into you. It's a horrible dream."  
>Bethany, who stayed, chuckled. "Not entirely so, Serge. How about that drink in exchange for a dance?"<p>

Bucky's face lit up and smiled at the beautiful woman. "A Bronx," he repeated.

"Heavy on the gin. I am a Stark after all," Bethany said as Bucky went to the bartender, leaving Bethany and Steve to themselves. As he ordered a drink for himself, along with Bethany's, he turned to watch the interaction he was missing. He couldn't make out what they were saying, but he didn't miss the looks Steve was giving her, much like the looks he also had when Bucky nabbed a girl; jealousy. There was also something else; betrayal. If Bucky didn't know Steve well enough, he'd pass it off as shyness, but in his stance showed that he was upset.

Bucky quickly decided it was because Peggy left and it would be another evening of Steve watching Bucky dance with a girl while he sat in a corner. It was a viable explanation and Bucky looked around the room, noticing many women watching Steve and throwing murderous looks Bethany's way. _I'll just get him to dance with another dame,_ he concluded as he took the drinks over to Bethany.

"One Bronx, heavy on the gin." Bucky said interrupting what seemed to be an intense conversation between Bethany and Steve. "Everything okay?"

Bethany took the drink with a little smile and took a long sip. "Everything's fine," she said when she swallowed.

"You didn't want anything, right Steve?" Bucky asked turning to his friend.

Steve shook his head, "No. I probably shouldn't."

Bethany chuckled, lifting an eyebrow. "Steve. Your metabolism runs four times faster than the average human."

"And in English that means...?" Bucky questioned, leaning against the bar counter.

Bethany teasingly rolled her eyes. "It means that he can't get drunk." It was silent for a couple seconds as the two men looked at each other, both speechless. "How about I open a tab and we can test my hypothesis. I mean, Erskine had theorized that your metabolism would be four times faster, but we never really tested that. If you're up to it…?"

Steve quickly turned his head to Bethany and took a minute to form a sentence. "More tests?"

Bethany chuckled, her face slowly becoming a faint pink tint. "None like the last time, I promise. Only fun things."

They looked at each other for a couple seconds, sharing a memory before Bucky interrupted with "What happened last time?"

Bucky watched as Bethany bit her bottom lip, avoiding Steve's gaze. "Jumping jacks and push-ups. Nothing special."

"Right," Steve said, clearing his throat. "And a lot of blood samples."

"We needed DNA samples," Bethany clarified, taking a hefty sip of her drink. "Nothing like that. Like I said, only fun things."

Steve frowned slightly, but Bucky just threw his arm around his shoulders. "C'mon Steve. The lady is offering to buy us drinks. A nice change, I must say."

"Well," Bethany said pushing some hair out of her eye. "I do have more money in the bank than both of you put together. Take advantage of me."

"Oh, I will," Bucky said slyly as Steve elbowed him. _Hard_. "Ow! Steve!"

"I need some air," Steve mumbled as he left. Bucky started to massage his side where he knew there would be a bruise tomorrow.

Bucky turned his full attention to Bethany where he watched her watch Steve leave and then sighed. He frowned in response. "Is there something between you and Steve?" To him, it was the only explanation.

Bethany's head snapped up but she quickly shook her head. "No. No, there… there isn't."

"You sure?" he probed farther. "If you're Steve's girl, I'd hate to-"

Bethany scoffed, shaking her head. "I'm no one's girl, Barnes. You'll do well to remember that."

He put his hands up in a motion of surrender. "As you say."

Bethany took in a deep breath of air. "I don't have feelings beyond friendship with Steve, or anyone else. I do, however, like to have fun."

Bucky cocked an eyebrow, "Then let's have some fun Miss. Stark."

* * *

><p>Steve couldn't believe he was back in his usual position. Sitting in a corner, watching Bucky dance with a beautiful girl, her throwing her head back in laughter at something he said. While Steve still wanted to wait for the right partner, it killed him how close Bucky was holding Bethany. Any closer and they'd melt together.<p>

His heart was hammering so hard, Steve feared that it would break through his ribcage. How Bucky was able to flirt with Bethany and have her accept it and flirt back so easily, he would never know. With annoyance, he watched as Bucky's hand slid farther down Bethany's back. Usually, the act would amuse Steve. Today, however, he was angry. The very idea of anyone disrespecting Bethany in any way was driving him insane.

More importantly, he could feel his heart breaking for the only woman he ever really loved. It sounded stupid, even to himself, since Bethany never once alluded to similar feelings. But she was the first woman to accept him, to have a full length conversation with him and even when she laughed at him, it never felt like she was mocking him. When they first met, there was something in her eyes that wasn't undermining him like people usually did. But now, with her in Bucky's arms, and him in the corner, he realized that maybe she was just as she said it: a Stark.

Howard had an infamous reputation for being a ladies' man. Maybe Bethany was like him. They were so alike, the idea seemed very plausible.

He watched as Bucky lowered his head down to her collarbone, Bethany's eyes fluttering closed, mouth pulled up in a smile. In his bed at night, he had imagined her doing that, yet with him being the cause of it. Steve took in a jagged breath, trying to take his mind off of her.

_Peggy looked nice,_ he said looking at his hands. _And she seemed interested. _Steve then thought about how wonderful the agent was, how she believed in him and was there with Bethany during every step. Yes, he didn't know her well, but then again, he wasn't really given the chance.

Taking a sip of his seventh beer, he felt a little better knowing that he could have a chance with the beautiful agent. An opportunity to get to know her, have her get to know him, and perhaps Bethany solidifying her position as a friend only in Steve's heart. However, when Bethany began to pull Bucky out of the bar, he concealed the immediate urge to punch the wall.

* * *

><p>Bethany laughed as Bucky pushed her up against the brick wall, his lips dragging down her collarbone. She could feel his need for her pushing up against her stomach. <em>Men<em>, she thought smiling as Bucky sucked on her soft skin. It felt good to be wanted, to be desired. But something, and she was silently killing herself for it, felt wrong.

"Wait," Bethany let out as he pushed her waist to his tighter. She could feel his scowl against her neck, but pulled back and searched her face for answers. "I-I usually would do this, but…"

"Steve?" Bucky asked suddenly. There was no anger in his voice, but the way he softly let it slip through his lips was almost like he understood.

The blonde sighed, trying to find the right words. "Not because I love him, but… there's something about him that makes me want to be good. Like he's rubbed off on me and I suddenly want to wait for the right—the right partner," she finished with a chuckle.

Bucky laughed softly, stepping back and allowing Bethany some space. "I'm gonna have to get used to Steve having pull over everyone. It's a change of pace. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for him. He deserves this. It's just-"

"I get it," Bethany interrupted, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. "That kid, he just gets to you, you know?"

"Kid?" Bucky asked amused.

"I knew Skinny Steve too," Bethany said with a wink, walking past him. "I thought he was just that. You know what, Barnes? The day I first saw Steve, I saw you too. It was when you were at the future expo."

Bucky smiled in fond memory, "Yes and your brother's car fell from the sky."

"Because he's an idiot and doesn't listen to his little sister," she revealed as they made their way back into the warm bar. It was too cold outside for Bethany's liking.

Bucky laughed wholeheartedly as they started over to where Steve was sulking. "Hey, stop frowning!" Bethany snapped as she sat in front of him, Bucky settling next to her.

Steve looked up, surprise written on his face, "I thought-"

"We went out for air," Bucky quickly explained.

Steve nodded solemnly before Bethany pushed the half full beer to him. "You're gonna let a good time go to waste? Drink."

"You heard the lady," Bucky told his friend with a smile. "Better listen."

As Bethany went off to get another round of drinks for the trio, she watched as the two men conversed quietly. She obviously couldn't hear what they were saying, but the look on Steve's face had barely changed since she and him talked when Bucky was in her shoes earlier.

He had asked her what she was doing, to which she responded that she was having fun, a night away from the lab and war. That what she was doing wasn't a crime and that she was grown up. She didn't need governing. She could make her own decisions, and hell that's what she had been doing ever since her parents died. The look on Steve's face showed that he was disappointed, as well as a hint of betrayal.

Then he opened his mouth and calmly said "You don't have to do this. Some men want more with you then a night in between the sheets." Bethany didn't get the chance to answer because Bucky had walked back up with her drink.

Never for one second had she thought that all men wanted from her was her body. But hearing Steve saying the words changed her attitude completely. And while she couldn't just flip the switch, something about being close to Bucky set her off the wrong way. As she took the tray of drinks over to the men, she could see that Steve had loosened up a little.

"Okay," Bethany said putting the tray down and taking out fifty dollars from the bust of her dress. "Steve, if you can drink two of these jugs in five minutes and then walk straight in twenty, I'll give you fifty dollars."

Steve narrowed his eyes, debating what he should do before Bucky elbowed him. "Live a little, Steve."

* * *

><p>Bethany Stark was not a morning person. In fact, if it was up to her, mornings would be outlawed. With her hatred for them already paired with the fact she was out all night trying to get Steve drunk, her six am wakeup call came with pillow throwing and angry screams.<p>

Due to her rapid cellular regeneration, Bethany like Steve, could not get drunk. She had successfully outdrank the majority of Steve's team and almost had as many as Steve but was spending too much time laughing and talking to one up him. Nonetheless, she had fun and was out past curfew.

Despite her desire for a couple more hours of sleep, she dragged herself out of bed, ready for whatever was about to be thrown at her. Howard had worked hard to develop some new weapons for Steve, many which Bethany wanted to wield herself. Each piece was unique. And while she didn't help much in designing them, she had begged to help in developing a selection of shields for Steve.

When seven rolled by, Bethany started her way to the lab, blonde hair in a ponytail swishing back and forth. She had opted for some military issued pants along with a white blouse and the combat boots she finally got. She wasn't dressed to impress, but she did turn heads. More and more women were wearing pants as the war progressed on and Bethany loved the trend.

"Nice of you to join us," Howard said as Bethany strolled in.

"You should be grateful I'm here at all," Bethany retorted pulling on a white lab coat. "Remind me why I'm here?"

Howard crooked a finger, inviting her to join him and the other scientist over by the observation case. "Remember the weapon that Steve brought back from the HYDRA camp?"

"How could I not?" Bethany said insulted. "'Most powerful explosive known to man'."

"Yeah, we're about to see what makes it special."

Bethany's face lit up. "Why didn't you say that before? I would've been here hours ago."

Howard gave her a smile as he saw his sister's excitement. Gathering around the observation case, Howard and Bethany started to note special characteristics about the blue orb, each one making the glowing ball more and more interesting.

"Emission signature is unusual," Howard said to the scientist beside him who was jotting down notes. "Alpha beta ray neutral. Though I doubt Rogers picked up on that."

Bethany rolled her eyes and stepped over to the desk to pick up some earlier notes on creating a new element. She wondered if Schmidt's men had already developed it and transferred it into a weapon, making her nervous. They thought they were make a ground-breaking discovery, but if the Nazi's already discovered it, then America was well and truly _fucked_.

"Seems harmless enough," she heard Howard continue as she sorted through the notes. "Hard to see what all the fuss is about."

Frowning, Bethany turned around to ask Howard if he hid the notes only to see a quick blue flash from the observation case, glass flying every which way and Howard being flung across the room. Bethany stood, eyebrows raised, not sure whether laughing would be inappropriate. But as Howard sat up and yelled "Write that down!" Bethany couldn't hold it in any longer and laughed wholeheartedly.

"That was hilarious!" She told him, grabbing her stomach. "Oh good Lord."

She wiped away the tears from the side of her face, them streaming as she relayed the memory again. Howard, however, scowled at her as she failed to stop until he had enough and left to talk to Colonel Phillips. Bethany shook her head as he stormed away, excusing herself to find a broom to clean the mess up.

In reality, she wasn't really going to do that. She knew that many of the men thought that cleaning was the only thing she was good for. Getting out of there as soon as possible, she wandered the halls a couple times until eight came by and she and Howard were due to meet with Steve.

Pushing back a stray hair, Peggy turned the corner, huffing and puffing. Bethany raised an eyebrow at the agent's demeanor. "Peggy?" She called as the woman kept stalking forward. When she didn't stop, Bethany rushed after her. "What's eating you?"

"I just caught Captain Rogers kissing a Private," Peggy let out bluntly. "Not that it bothers me. But then he had the _nerve _to insinuate that Howard and I- arg!"

Bethany decided that she wasn't going to push her luck and bid the agent goodbye before she was the victim of anger displacement. She continued her journey to the lab and instantly got to work on a motorcycle. It was a beauty, made completely from scratch, and was supposed to be for Steve. Bethany had originally designed it for herself, but Howard's disapproving look told her to give up the foolish dream. She didn't even know how to ride a motorcycle, but she knew it would be her first step to showing men that she bad business.

She barely started her work on it before she heard someone clearing their throat from above her. She looked up to see Steve, standing with his hands in his pockets. "Morning."

Bethany brushed the grease from her hands onto her pants, getting up. "Good morning! I heard you had a little adventure this morning."

Steve instantly blushed, "Y-you-you heard about that?"

Bethany smirked and arched an eyebrow. "Yes, well. Peggy seemed quite… flustered about it."

Steve let out a breath of air, crossing his arms. "She kissed me. I just-"

"Enjoyed it? Kissed her back? Didn't end it?" Bethany supplied. "Steve, I'm not giving you the third degree. I know what it's like to be desired. Sometimes when someone does something so blunt, you're so betrayed by your own self, you don't know how to stop. Sometimes, no matter how much you want to, you just… can't." The last word came out as a whisper as Bethany turned to put her tools back on the table.

"You okay?" Steve asked, suddenly sensing turmoil within the girl.

"Yeah," she whispered back. "Just thinking about bad decisions. It's all in the past."

Steve nodded, expecting more but not receiving any. "Bucky… told me about what happened last night. When you… left the bar."

Bethany turned back to him, shoving her hands into the deep pockets of her trousers. "Nothing happened."

"I know," he let out. "That's what he told me. I really thought that you'd-"

"What you said," Bethany interrupted. "I took it to heart. I take everything you say to heart."

Steve smiled shyly when Bethany took a hand out of her pocket to poke his stomach. "By the way," he said with a chuckle in his tone. "You have some grease on your face."

Bethany reached up, searching for the mark. "Well, that's embarrassing."

Steve shook his head, "You look adorable." Bethany's hand dropped, waiting for Steve's next words as she could see him struggling to get them past his lips.

"Hey, does anyone know why Peggy is in such a bad mood?" Howard asked, waltzing in.

Bethany let out a low chuckle. "She caught Steve and a Private in a compromising position."

Howard's eyebrows went up, completely amused. "Oh, did she now?"

"She kissed me," Steve tried to explain.

"She's more upset that you insinuated that she and Howard are together," Bethany said remembering Peggy's mumbles. "What did you say?"

Steve's face darkened. "F-fondue. You two fondue," Steve let out.

The Stark siblings looked at each other, both with similar looks of confusion on their faces. "I don't see why that's a big deal. Fondue is… fondue."

"Yeah," Bethany continued. "Howard and I have fondue every we-" she trailed off as Steve's eyes widened in horror. Bethany then burst out into laughter, walking into the bigger area of the lab. "Men," she said still laughing.

She could feel the two men following her. "Fondue is just cheese and bread my friend," Howard enlightened Steve.

"Really?" Steve responded. "I didn't think-"

"Nor should you pal," Howard revealed. "The moment you think you know what's going on in a woman's head is the moment your goose is well and truly cooked."

Bethany chuckled, "It's true. Don't try. You'll get lost."

"See, what we Starks do is concentrate on work," Howard continued. "Great way to stay out of relationship problems."

"And our main goal recently is making sure you and your team don't bite the dust," Bethany said as they showed Steve the tables where weapon designs and prototypes were on display. "Check this baby out. Carbon polymer."

"Should withstand your average German bayonet," Howard explained to Steve. "Although HYDRA's not going to attack you with a pocket knife." The moved on, Howard stopping only once to pat Steve's old show shield. "I hear you're, uh, kinda attached."

"It's handier than you might think," Steve admitted.

"We came up with some new options," Bethany said moving them on to the next table. "We… got a little creative. Maybe a little too creative."

Howard nodded, pointing to his favorite. "She's being fitted with electrical relays." Steve, however, was still looking down the line of shields, almost ignoring the advanced ones as much as possible. "That will allow you to-"

"What about this one?" Steve asked pulling the round vibranium shield out from a box under the table.

Bethany crossed her arms, giving a smug look to her brother. "That's just a prototype," Howard quickly interjected.

"What's it made of?" Steve asked, completely entranced.

"Vibranium," Bethany spoke stepping closer to him. "She's a beauty, isn't she? So sleek, so light. Best thing is; it's stronger than steel but a third of the weight and completely vibration absorbent. When I first got my hands on it, I wanted to cry."

"How come it's not standard issue?" Steve wondered as he continued to study the round shield.

"That's the rarest metal on Earth," Howard explained. "What you're holding there, that's all we got."

"I told you," Bethany spoke suddenly, holding her hand out to Howard. "Fork it over." The man grudgingly reached into his pocket and pulled out fifty dollars, placing it in her hand. Bethany smiled happily as she dipped her fingers into her blouse, securing the fifty in her bra. "Thank you. Guess who's going to the club tonight!"

Steve waited for an explanation, but Peggy stalked into the room, still angry from earlier. "Are you quite finished, Mr. Stark? I'm sure the Captain has some… _unfinished _business."

Bethany winced at her tone, feeling the burn from her words but Steve just held up the vibranium shield with the most adorable smile Bethany had ever seen. "What do you think?"

Bethany barely had time to register what to think as Peggy raised a gun up and shot it multiple times at Steve, who hid behind the shield, completely terrified. "Yes, I think it works." With that, she walked out of the room, leaving everyone speechless.

Except for Bethany, of course, who filled the silence with "It's official; I have a crush on Peggy Carter."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Whereas life on the base was boring and dull before, now it was full of color and eventful. Every day brought a new adventure, and Bethany could really feel the base, no matter where it was, become her home. This mostly had to do with the people. Howard, like always, was ragging on her about anything he could. Bethany and Peggy would allot one hour a day to gossiping. Bucky was always available to show her a good time, inviting her to the bars with the rest of the men. Dum Dum Dugan took it upon himself to teach Bethany how to throw a proper punch. But Bethany's favorite relationship was with Steve.

Things between them got only easier. Steve stopped blushing whenever a compliment came his way and wasn't as shy to ask Bethany personal questions. They spent a lot of time together, merely talking about childhood memories, listening to the radio and occasionally having a smoke or two. While Bethany hated the smell of the sticks, the mood always seemed to call for one. There was something so intimate about them sharing a cig, making her feel like she couldn't live without Steve in her life.

Every time the team would suit up for battle, Bethany found herself getting more and more anxious. For years, it had been just her and Howard, and where one went so did the other. She never had to worry about his well-being. But with her new-found family endangering themselves on a weekly basis, Bethany had a hard time staying calm.

"There," she said as she finished wrapping Steve's arm. "Good as new."

Steve gave her a quiet thanks as he got up from his bed. He had just returned from a successful raid, unknowingly wounded. Bethany, who was stopping to pick up Steve's shield to repaint it, had found Steve pressing a white t-shirt to his arm in attempt to mop up the flowing blood.

"You don't have to hide it, you know," Bethany enlightened. "They know you're human. Seeing you bleed a little will probably only deepen their faith in you. Let them know that you're risking your life just as much as they are."

"I wasn't hiding it," Steve said with a sigh. "I just didn't notice until I took the suit off."

Bethany nodded, picking up the suit. "I guess the padding soaked most of the blood up. I'll get someone to fix this so it'll be perfect for the next raid. Any plans tonight?"

"No," he replied, flicking on the radio. "Bucky'll probably round everyone up for drinks, but I'd like to just stay here and rest."

"I can leave-"Bethany began, sensing that he wanted to be alone.

"Stay," Steve insisted, lying down on his bed. The door to his room was propped open with a stack of books, Steve not wanting to start any rumors. "Tell me something about your childhood I don't know."

Bethany sat on the side of his bed, watching as his eyes fluttered closed. "Hmm. Let me think; it was about eleven or twelve years ago and I really wanted to see _Flowers and Trees_, the Silly Symphony movie. There was something so wonderful about the idea to me, so I_ begged_ Howard to take me. Finally, one day he did."

"And?" Steve asked, eyes still closed.

Bethany let out a small laugh. "And I fell asleep ten minutes in."

Steve smiled, snuggling deeper into his pillow. "I'm sure Howard loved that."

"Our parents had just died, and he was all I had. We had to spend our money wisely, and finally Howard granted my pleas. He even bought me a new dress for the occasion. But all I did was sleep through the movie and get buttered popcorn all over my new dress."

"I saw that show," Steve whispered. "I remember thinking that if I really worked on my talent, I could do what Walt Disney was doing, and one day make movies."

Bethany smiled down at the man on the bed. If Bethany only focused on his face, she could still see that little boy from the recruitment center at the World of Tomorrow Expo. So innocent and pure. No war scars or bulging muscles. Just a little boy, dreaming. "Is that still what you want? Once the war is over, I mean."

"I'm not sure," Steve admitted, opening his eyes. "It depends on where I am after the war. Whether I've met a dame, or have intentions on marrying her."

"Why would it matter? Shouldn't she want you to be happy?"

"Being a professional artist is one of those jobs that doesn't promise a paycheck. And we all know what it's like not getting a paycheck."

Bethany nodded, remembering the Depression. Yes, she was young and money was something she didn't understand, but being where she was now, she couldn't imagine not having money. "I guess that makes sense."

A comfortable silence fell over them as Steve sat up and leaned against the wall, playing with Bethany's hair. She could feel his fingers massaging her skull, then dividing it up into sections for a braid. This had become the norm with them, ever since Bethany's hair got caught in some gears and it took three men to unwind the locks. Afterwards, Steve had braided her hair since Bethany's own hands were covered with grease.

_"Hey, please don't bring your lips close to my cheek. Don't you smile or I'll be lost beyond recall_," Sinatra sang in the background.

Bethany closed her eyes as Steve's fingers continued to play with the blond curls. "Have you ever been in love, Beth?"

The question came from nowhere, as well as the nickname, but neither of these aspects bothered her. In fact, it seemed so natural. "Once," she admitted quietly. "But that was a long time ago."

Steve's fingers stilled and moved away from her head, the braid slowly slipping undone with nothing to hold it in place. "What happened?"

Bethany shifted slightly on the bed, but didn't met his gaze. "He couldn't love somebody the way he loved himself. Everything was about him. What he wanted, what he needed. I mean, I guess I knew it was coming. All he ever did was use people."

"Then why did you fall for him?" Steve asked, his breath suddenly very close to her neck.

She cracked her middle finger, trying to form the right sentence. "It picks you sometimes, I guess. I mean, he was charming. He had a way of sweeping someone off their feet, telling them something and having them believe it was their idea. He would play tricks on my mind, which lead to my mind playing tricks on my heart. Part of me thought that… that I could change him, to be honest. Everyone wants the upper hand because in the end, you don't want to be the one whose left heartbroken. Trying to get that upper hand is what ruined the relationship."

"How could you love someone that treats you that way?" Steve whispered.

Bethany took in a deep breath of air. "I loved the challenge. I loved the adventure. Maybe I didn't love him as a person, but everything around him and everything that followed."

_"With just one motor gone, we can still carry on. Comin' in on a wing and a prayer," _the radio sang as the silence fell between the two again.

* * *

><p>Howard had the brilliant idea to slip away from the base for a picnic with Bethany, Bucky, Peggy and Steve. The weather had evened out and Bethany was suffering from a serious case of stir crazy. Packing up some imported chocolate, cheese and wine, the group carefully ventured out in search of a perfect place to sit.<p>

Everyone was dressed in casual wear, a desperate attempt to escape wartime plagues. "An afternoon of just friends hanging about" is how Howard described it. Bethany took the opportunity to wear one of her less fancy dresses, tying a long sash around her waist. She had noted that she looked more innocent in the flowy dress, enough to fool anyone. Her reputation of being sexually experience was well known around the base, even though she had refrained from the activity in months. It was hard, but Steve's words always seemed to ring in her head whenever she was tempted. She was keeping her eyes out for men who clearly wanted more than just sex, but they were few and far between.

As they sat down, Bethany instantly grabbed one of the bananas from the basket, shoving as much as she could before letting out a low moan. "So good," the mumbled with a full mouth. Howard frowned at her as Bucky laughed.

"Can you not?" Howard asked. "I don't need an image of your late night activities."

"It's just a banana," she mumbled again, finishing it off. "Not everyone has a dirty mind, Howard."

"Would you like another one?" Bucky held out another ripe banana, bigger than the first, with a twinkle in his eyes.

She took in graciously, her love for the fruit overtaking her. She thought she heard Peggy mutter "men" but she ignored her as she began to eat the banana, taking smaller, more appropriate bites this time.

Light conversation took over, Bethany being the leader of it all. The girl had the gift of gab, and was able to strike conversation from anything. As promised, they all avoided the topic of war. It was the perfect opportunity to get to know everyone better.

"What's that?" Bethany suddenly interrupted, pointing to the brown leather hidden under Steve's leg. "Is that your sketchbook? Can I see?"

Steve looked uncertain, but the excitement on her face was enough for him to consider. "I don't know…"

"There something you don't want her to see?" Howard asked popping an olive into his mouth. "Perhaps something pornographic? 'Cause she's seen it all-"

"Can we not?" Bethany said strictly.

"Howard, please," Peggy spoke annoyed at the same time, watching as Steve's face heated up. "Not every conversation needs to have this turn."

"Knowing Steve," Bucky said as he reached for a piece of cheese. "It won't be that. Probably just nervous on what you'll think."

"I'm sitting _right_ here," Steve reminded the group.

"It's me," Bethany reminded him after a moment of silence, assuring him that she wasn't going to mock him. "I just want to see something. You can pick."

They shared a soft, caring look, Steve's blue eyes searching her green ones for truth in her words. Sighing, he pulled the book out and opened it to his favorite page. He handed it to her and she took it in awe.

"This-this is amazing," she whispered, carefully touching the paper.

"It's my mother," Steve revealed in a moment where it was only Bethany and Steve, no one else. "Or what I remember. I have some old photos, but the quality of them aren't the best."

"Are you planning on drawing today?" Bethany asked, closing the book and handing it back to him.

Steve nodded, pushing his hair out of his face. "It's been a while since I've been around complete beauty. I figured if I found something worth drawing, I might as well keep it close."

"Smooth," Howard let out. "Say that to any woman, and she'll forever be in your back pocket."

"Do you ever shut up?" Peggy questioned, earning her a chuckle from the group.

Bethany stood up and stretched before heeling her shoes off and eyeing the big tree they were sitting by. "Bucky, close your eyes."

"Huh?" he asked, mouth full with a sandwich.

Bethany rolled her eyes at his puffed out cheeks. "I'm going to climb the tree, and since I'm in a dress, I don't want you to look when my skirt hikes up."

"Oh, I'd be fine with that." Bucky said with a smirk.

"I wouldn't," Howard said, sending Bucky a glare. "Despite it all, she's still my kid sister."

"Well how come just me?" Bucky asked insulted.

Bethany put her hands on her hips. "Because I trust Steve enough not to look. He's a gentleman. Howard wouldn't want to look and Peggy has seen me naked, so it doesn't matter."

"Wait-what?" Bucky asked turning to Peggy. "You've seen her nake-why were you two naked? Together? In the same room?"

"It's called taking a shower," Peggy enlightened. "You should try it someday."

Bucky narrowed his eyes, mumbling under his breath while closing his eyes. "Thank you!" Bethany said as she turned to climb up the tree.

"Careful," Howard called up to her as she settled on the first thick branch.

"Yeah, yeah," she called down, legs swinging, tucking the skirt of her dress around her legs. "Okay Bucky, you can open your eyes."

While doing that, he jumped up and started climbing the tree behind her. Bethany shook her head amused as the soldier settled in behind her. "Hi."

"What are you doing?" She giggled.

"Hey Steve!" Bucky shouted by her ear, Bethany cringing. "Wanna draw something beautiful? How about us in this tree? You know the most beautiful people you know."

Steve shook his head smiling, "Get down before you kill yourself."

"Eh!" Bucky let out, insulted. "What about her? I'm just making sure she's safe."

"There's a bigger chance of you falling than her," Howard stated, lying on his back.

"And I would catch her if she fell," Steve shared. "I'm not catching you."

Bucky frowned, but Bethany just smirked. "Shall we try this out?"

"Huh?" Bucky asked as Bethany swung her leg over and pushed off the branch, completely fearless. There was barely any time for anyone to react, except Steve who did as promise and caught her.

"Good catch," Bethany said brightly. "That was the ultimate trust exercise right there."

"Are you nuts?!" Steve demanded as he held onto her tightly.

"The test results haven't come in yet," she joked, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I like the view from up here. You can see Howard's grey roots."

"Haha," Howard let out dryly, lying on the grass . "Very funny."

"Next time, we should play baseball." Bethany said slipping her arms away from Steve, indicating that she was ready to be put down, which Steve complied to. "Or bring something else to do."

"Have a nap," Howard said, putting his hat over his face.

"I'm going to read," Peggy said with a smile. "I think I'm the only person who has yet to finish _Gone with the Wind_."

"A nap _would_ be nice," Bucky said before climbing down the tree to do just that.

Bethany frowned. "You're all fuddy duddies."

Steve chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. "Now is a good of time as any to draw. Would you like to help?"

"Me? Draw?" Bethany asked with a chuckle. "You'll regret it."

"I was thinking… more like… well," Steve struggled as his face darkened. "More like my model."

"Oh," Bethany said straightening her posture. "Really?"

"If you want to," he let out quietly.

Bethany sat against the tree, nodding. "Do me justice, Captain Rogers."

Silence, for the most part, fell over the group as Steve began to trace Bethany's outlines. Bethany, however, was singing quietly, the soothing sound of her velvety voice ringing throughout the area. The five of them were at complete ease, all thoughts of war a foreign concept.

"_Way up high, there's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby. Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue. And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true,"_ Bethany voice proved to be as impressive, if not more so, than Judy Garland's. It brought peace to the group, hope for a better future and filled them all with so much happiness.

Steve remembered when he and Bucky went to see _The Wizard of Oz_, Bucky arranging their dates. It had, as usual, ended up less than hopeful for Steve, but he almost didn't mind because the movie was so… inspiring. And the colours! The beautiful shine of the Ruby Slippers against the famous Yellow Brick Road. Not only that, but the bright blue of Dorothy's dress, the bubblegum pink of Glinda's gown and the bright shine of the Emerald City. Nothing had ever been done like it before, and it was sure to be popular years on. It would have faired better in the theatres if it hadn't been contending against _Gone with the Wind_.

Sure, they had changed a lot of elements from the original books. But Steve personally thought that the changes were needed. Keeping the slippers silver like in the book wouldn't have had the same effect. And having the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion look more like human made them more lovable than the drawings in the novel, which used to give him nightmares.

_"If happy little blue birds fly beyond the rainbow, then why, oh why can't I…"_

"Sing another one," Howard mumbled.

Bethany sighed contently. "Howard, can you see if you can arrange a movie night? I think that would be nice."

"And what?" Howard asked sitting up on his forearms. "Play _Wizard of Oz_?"

"Why not?" Bethany questioned, picking at the grass. "It instills hope or something. Brings back happy memories."

Howard thought about it before promising he would set it up. "Sing another one," he repeated.

"_You had plenty money 1922, you let other women make a fool of you. Why don't you do right like some other men do? Get out of here and get me some money too."_

* * *

><p>He kept his promise and a month later, a room full of SSR agents, soldiers and nurses sat in front of a giant white screen as <em>The Wizard of Oz<em> began to play. Looking around the room, everyone had smiles on their faces, the movie instilling just what Bethany had said; hope.

"Did… did Glinda just call Dorothy ugly?" Bethany whispered to Steve.

"Huh?" he asked turning his gaze to her. She looked so effortlessly radiant that night and his desire to hold her was greatly intensified by the becoming glow from the screen.

"She said only bad witches are ugly and then proceeded to ask whether she was a bad witch or a good witch," Bethany elaborated.

Steve smiled, holding back his laughter. "I didn't catch that until now."

"I think Judy Garland is one of the most beautiful girls in the whole world," Bethany responded with, watching the screen with wonder in her eyes. "Don't you agree?"

Steve turned his attention back to the screen and studied Garland's features. _Yes_, she was beautiful. But nothing compared to where Bethany sat beside him, her skin smooth and always a perfect color. Not to mention, the perfect bump of her nose, a small cluster of freckles decorating it.

"She's beautiful," Steve whispered. "But she wouldn't make my top five."

Bethany turned to him with a shocked smile on her face. "You have a top five list? Captain, I'm absolutely shocked. You didn't strike me as the type who would judge based on looks."

"I don't," Steve quickly assured. "But if I was to choose the top five most beautiful women in the world, she wouldn't be there."

Bethany crossed her arms, challenging him. "Oh yeah? And who would be there."

Steve reached up to scratch the back of his neck. "Well, in no particular order; Hedy Lamarr, Rita Hayworth, June Lang, Simone Simon…"

"That's four," Bethany pointed out, poking his bicep with purpose. "Add Judy Garland and there's five."

Steve shook his head, "She wouldn't be five."

"Fine, then who?" Bethany said, crossing her arms again. "Lana Turner? Ingrid Bergman? Olivia de Havilland? Oh, I bet it's Gene Tierney. She's absolutely gorgeous."

"She's not an actress," Steve said turning back to the screen.

Bethany frowned. "Okay, I give. Who?"

Steve said nothing for a couple of seconds, watching as Dorothy began a tongue twister of a song while deciding if he should tell her. He knew she wouldn't give it up until he told her, and somehow picking a random person and lying didn't seem right.

"You," he finally whispered.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see her smile fondly at his words, looking down at her hands as if she was shy before snapping her head up and loudly saying "Gene Tierney is _much _prettier than me."

A few people surrounding the two, Howard, Bucky and Peggy included, turned to them. Bethany just gave them a quick smile before turning her full attention to the screen.

* * *

><p>After a long mission that kept Steve away from the base for almost two weeks, he was more than happy to see Bethany waiting in his room. She sat by his desk bending over something while muttering to herself.<p>

"Beth?" Steve asked as he stepped into the room, door fully open.

She turned around smiling, taking in his appearance. He looked… frankly, exhausted. His face was dirty, his Captain America suit torn in some places and some blood drying down his face. But despite it all, Bethany pulled him into a hug.

"Finally," she said as if annoyed by his absence. "Do you _know_ what I've had to go through these last weeks with only _Howard_ for company? And okay, maybe Peggy too, but you know her. Always busy with battle plans and such. The knucklehead actually tried to convince me to climb through a wood chipper! I may not be able to die, but it still _hurts_."

Her words came out in one breath, but Steve didn't mind as he took her in. Her hair seemed longer, somehow. And she had long stopped wearing it in victory rolls and pin curls. Yes, she always had the perfect curl of finger waves, but it made her hair look constantly soft and shiny. His desire to run it through his fingers overtook him as he took a strand in between his fingers.

"I missed you too," he said with a confident smirk. Bethany responded by raising one eyebrow. "What cha got there?"

Bethany turned back to the desk, bouncing on the heels of her feet lightly. "Oh, just a little welcome home present. Well, not really welcome home, but welcome back. And it's not really a present considering I have to give it back to Howard later, BUT I figured you'd like this. Why don't you go take a shower, put on some clean clothes and I'll set it up?"

Steve looked at the metal contraption on his desk surrounded by some paper bags and decided it would be better to do what she said instead of questioning her motives.

The weeks without her pulled at his heart. While he tried to focus on the mission alone, every little thing reminded him of her. There was so much he wanted to tell her. It became a reflex. He knew there were whispers of them around the base, brought to his attention by Bucky. Steve had assured his friend that he and Bethany were just friends, that their friendliness to each other was just that. But he knew he was lying to Bucky and more importantly, to himself.

Everything about her was intoxicating. There wasn't a moment when her beauty, inside and out, didn't shine. And there wasn't a moment when being around her was a source of misery. Even when she was working in the lab, wearing men's clothes with grease all over her face, rambling about things Steve would never begin to understand, she was a delight. The way her eyes lit up when she made a discovery or got an idea. Or the way she would stop mid-sentence in one of her rambles and laugh at herself. He wanted to spend every single waking moment with her.

He loved Bethany. He knew that. He had known for a long time. And it was so strong that he didn't care if she never reflected the feelings back to him, just as long as he got to be around her. To share his fears and dreams. And more importantly, for her to share hers. Their relationship had become something he never thought possible with any girl. She made it so easy for him to be himself, to—for the most part- stop blushing at every compliment and laugh at his innocence. But her laughter; it was never in a mocking way. It was always as if saying _'why are you so perfectly innocent, so perfectly you?'_

Bethany made him love life, and more importantly, himself. He was more confident, not just around her, but around everyone. His orders to his team came so naturally now. And it was all because of her.

"You hungry?" She asked when he returned, his hair damp still.

"Yes," he admitted lying his suit on the bed.

Bethany frowned at the suit, already thinking about how she would be patching it within the next day. "Can you stop ripping my masterpiece? We haven't invented rip-proof material yet."

"Well, what's taking so long?" Steve asked with a smirk, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Ha ha," Bethany said, unamused, but with a gleam in her eyes that Steve didn't miss. "Come here. I made fondue."

Steve walked over to the desk, but couldn't help the groan and roll of his eyes. "Really, Beth?"

"Really Stevie," she said mocking him, babying her voice. "It's good, I promise."

He watched as she dipped a piece of bread into the melted cheese and held it out for him. He took hold of her wrist and steadied her hand as he lowered his head and took the bread from her fingers. He didn't miss the light blush and gulp as his lips touched her fingers, but she recovered quickly by wiping them against his shirt, pretending that the act had disgusted her.

It didn't though, and Steve knew this. He could feel his heart hammering in his chest, and he knew that if she got any closer to him, she would be able to hear it as well.

* * *

><p>Steve peered around the corner before waving the go ahead to his team. Their mission was simple. The next HYDRA base was a few miles out, and their current mission was to set up camp around it and gather as much information as possible about the comings and goings. Howard had also given them an experimental device which should be able to pick up any radio signals in or out. Overall, the mission was fairly safe and easy. Of course, they were expecting the occasional HYDRA guard to be lurking in the mountains they were planning on hiding in. The goal was to beat them as quickly and quietly as they could.<p>

As the team rounded the next corner, Steve let out an annoyed sigh as a team of HYDRA guards rushed towards them. The team went about their work, trying desperately not to be the causality of this battle. Wiping them out was easier than Steve initially anticipated and nodded towards the group to move forward. "Let's mov-"

A big _thunk_ came from behind Steve, who turned to see a HYDRA guard behind him, now knocked out from a blow to the head. "You missed one," Bethany said with a smirk.

"Bethany?" Steve asked, more than one emotion lacing his words.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Howard asked coming forward.

Bethany crossed her arms. "Why are you here again?"

"To secure the signal so we can tap into the radio calls-"

"Exactly," Bethany said as if it was obvious. "I heard Colonel Phillips. You plan to split into two groups, one on each side of the mountain, right? Well how are you going to secure the signal for both groups if there is only one of you?"

"You shouldn't be here," Steve spoke with authority, but his fear was clear in his tone.

"I pointed this flaw out to the Colonel after you left," she continued, ignoring Steve. "Therefore, here I am now."

"It's too dangerous," Howard said to which Bethany rolled her eyes.

"You're kidding me right? I'll be _fine_," she stressed trying to remind both her brother and friend that she wouldn't be dying any day soon. "Let's just keep going before nightfall."

"Steve?" Bucky asked from behind him. "Are you really gonna let her stay?"

Steve looked to Bethany who was picking some dirt out from her nail. "I don't see how I have a choice, Buck. And even if I wanted to send her back, I wouldn't send her alone. She's right about nightfall though."

"She's a girl," Dum Dum said arrogantly to which Bethany made a face to.

"Excuse me, a certain Agent Carter has accompanied you men before. I can sure as hell fight better than Howard. Why single me out?" She demanded, looking up to Steve for a last plea. This meant more to her than it should, but she was tired of people regarding her as just a pretty thing to look at, and not see her full potential. "I'm not useless."

"Can we just-" Steve started taking in a deep breath. "She's right. She's completely right about everything. We need to split up, and have someone who can activate the signal on both ends. Howard? You, Jim, Montgomery, Gabe and Jacques stay here for the night. Bucky, Dum Dum, Bethany and I will travel over to the other side. We meet back tomorrow at the landing."

The men nodded, accepting his plans, but Howard looked thoroughly displeased. "Rogers, I'd rather my sister not-"

"Howard, I'll be _fine_," Bethany repeated, her face pleading him. "And completely safe."

The hike to the other side of the mountain had been much more than what Bethany had anticipated. She was tired and cold and… sweaty? Was it possible to be both cold and sweaty?

"Okay, we're here," Steve said, the words like an answered prayer to Bethany's ears. "Dum Dum, can you stand guard while we check out the cave?"

"'Course Cap," Dum Dum responded, thankful to sit and relax.

Bethany dropped her bag to the ground, stretching her back. "I could've carried it," Steve told her watching as she stretched.

"The gesture is nice in theory, but insulting in practice," Bethany said before letting out a yawn. "You were carrying enough bags to double my body weight. I'm not completely hopeless." Taking out some flashlights, she handed them to Bucky and Steve. "I'll set up the device. You two look around."

"Don't wander too far now boys," Dum Dum said with a tone as if they were dogs.

Steve and Bucky nodded making their way down the tunnel of the cave. "I don't like it Steve."

"What?" Steve asked, flashing the light around, looking for any source of danger.

"Bethany. Being _here_." Bucky elaborated.

Steve sighed, "I don't either, but she'll be fine. She's strong. And she _did_ take out a lurking HYDRA guard on her first day."

"I thought you'd be a little more protective over her."

"I've seen her get shot and be fine the next day," Steve shared. "But that doesn't mean I won't jump in front of a bullet for her."

"You think Phillips is nuts? I mean, sending her in is crazy on a new level. She isn't even an agent," Bucky asked, kicking a rock.

"No, but she's resourceful. Think about it; she has just as much mechanic experience as Howard, and medical training on top of that. Plus, Dum Dum has been teaching her to hold her own."

Bucky nodded, trusting in Steve's judgment. "Is it… is it getting warmer in here?"

Steve frowned but realized he was right. "The air is thicker too…"

Bucky shone the light farther up and smiled. "Well, would you look at that."

* * *

><p>"Well?" Bucky asked while bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet.<p>

Bethany, who was leaned over a large spring of water turned to look over her shoulder. Bucky and Steve were waiting patiently—or at least Steve was—to find out if the water was safe or not. Bucky had earlier made fun of all the things Bethany took with her on a mission, but was now seeing the usefulness of the supplies. "At least it's not shoes," Bucky had mumbled when she had opened her bag.

"All clean," Bethany spoke with a smile, standing up. "Good thing too, because my ass is frozen solid."

Bucky shot his hands up in the air in a gesture of success. Steve just shook his head at his friend's antics, yet turned his full attention to Bethany as he heard an echoing _clack_ hit the floor. His face quickly dropped, mouth hanging open at the sight of the goddess in front of him. Who was currently only in her undergarments.

Bucky seemed to notice too, for he stopped his miniature celebration and let out an "alright! That's what I'm talking about" before toeing off his shoes.

"Woah," Steve said, quickly shifting his body to face away from the almost naked girl, turning Bucky to face the wall along with him. "We're on a mission. Bucky, put your pants back on."

"You heard the girl," Bucky complained. "Frozen ass. C'mon, Steve. Bethany set up the device thing. You said so yourself that we only needed one man on watch. Have a little fun."

The sweet rippling sound of water moving caught their attention, and both of them slowing turning their heads to face where Bethany was letting out a small moan. "Feels fantastic," she enlightened, eyes closed and taking in the feeling of the hot springs.

"See?" Bucky said, clearly excited to jump in after her.

"Bucky-"Steve began, unsure if this was the best decision. While he knew long ago he couldn't control Bethany, he still had hierarchy over Bucky.

"Steve," Bethany's voice sounded out. "If you're not going to join, then let Dum Dum come back here. I'm sure he would like a nice hot bath."

"J-join?" Steve asked as if the word was foreign to him. The thought of joining a near naked Bethany in small body of hot water never occurred to him, never even crossed his mind. But now that the image came up, a part of him wanted it. Daring a look over to her, his knees felt weak. Her hair, those beautiful blond wavy curls he loved so much, were piled on top of her head, yet a little frizzy from all the humidity. Her skin, in the dim lantern lights, glowed a healthy peach color, looking soft and smooth, and the water droplets hanging off every crevice like icicles. And it really didn't help matters that she had a light sheen of sweat covering her face, making her features seem more alluring than Steve ever thought possible.

"I won't bite," Bethany said innocently enough. Yet Steve had then noticed that while he and Bucky were facing the wall, she had slipped out of her undergarments.

"Yeah, but if we're lucky, she will," Bucky mumbled quietly to Steve.

Steve took in a deep ragged breath, the thought of Bethany's perfect mouth opening and latching itself onto his skin, her white teeth sinking in and leaving trails of her possession over him was too much. He could almost feel the heat from her mouth upon him.

The heat, the images, the fact that Bethany was there, asking him to join her naked. It was every dream he shamefully dreamt of, every fantasy he could ever conceive of and so much more. The guilt that flooded his body was evident, him knowing no one should be thinking of her in such a way, but it was impossible to vanquish the desire that was growing and growing.

"I'm going to join Dum Dum," he quickly and quietly said before leaving. He could imagine Bethany quirking an eyebrow, Bucky throwing her a smirk and stripping before joining her in the water. He could hear the splash of his body followed by Bethany's excited squeals as Steve escaped.

As he got farther away from them and closer to Dum Dum, the cold mountain air surrounded him. It felt like when he was a kid having an asthma attack and waking up one morning to lungs filled with fresh air, breathing no longer a nuisance. The sweat upon his brow began to trickle dry as his heartbeat began to steady. He hadn't realized it was taking a toll on his body.

That _she_ was taking a toll on his body. But of course she did. She always did. Because it was Bethany, and the very idea of her made his heart pound.

* * *

><p>"Can I ask you a question?"<p>

"Yes, you _will _get wrinkly the longer you stay in here," Bethany said with a smirk, poking her toes out of the water.

"No," Bucky replied, rolling his eyes. "I had one in mind."

"If I can ask you one back," she answered, crossing her arms over her chest. While the two had been submerged in the water for almost a half hour and Bucky had respectfully kept his distance, she felt extremely exposed and now wondered if this was a good idea.

"Deal." Bucky nodded. "There's rumors about you on the base. Are they true?"

She let out a heavy sigh, letting more of her body fall into the water. "You mean about me sleeping with all the men? Then no. I actually haven't slept with any of them."

While she could barely make out Bucky's features, she could clearly see him frown. "But then why-"

"Because I had a reputation back home that seemed to follow me here," Bethany explained. "Because, yes, back home I slept around and I didn't care."

"But you do now," Bucky answered for her.

Bethany nodded. "I do now."

"Because of Steve," Bucky asked slowly, not sure of the reaction he would get.

Bethany's gaze was on the water, the soft way it rippled as she shifted under it. It was so calm and peaceful, so easy. How life _should_ be, but never would. "In a way, yes. Like I told you, he makes me want to be a better person."

"That's the only reason?"

She scowled, snapping her gaze up to him. "What are you getting at Barnes?"

"You two are just really close," Bucky told her truthfully. "I can see you care for each other, so why not _be_ with each other."

It was quiet for a couple seconds before Bethany whispered "because he deserves someone who can give him everything, and I couldn't be that person even if I tried."

Bucky absorbed the words, picked them apart and stitching them back together. "But you care about him?"

"Of course I do," Bethany replied evenly. "He's perfect, inside and out. But I couldn't be who he wanted me to be. I would never be able to reciprocate those feelings, fashion love and dress myself up as the perfect wife. I care for him, yes. But would I be able to spend a lifetime with him? Be a lover, a wife? A mother, of all things? I can't love him the way he wants me to."

"And why not?" Bucky demanded. This was his _best_ friend they were talking about, and through the months since they were reunited, he could see that Steve loved this girl more than he ever thought possible. That Steve would actually give everything up if it meant being with her.

He watched as Bethany turned her gaze to the rock walls, water running down them looking very much like tears. Then, so softly he almost missed it, Bethany whispered "because to love and respect someone like that, you have to love and respect yourself first".

Silence fell over the two until Bethany remembered her question back to Bucky. "So my question is, ironically, about Steve." She waited until Bucky nodded for her to go on. "He's a gentleman, I know that. A good man, clearly. And his skills with women are steadily improving. But he's never seen a naked woman before, has he?"

Bucky chuckled. "If he has, he probably locked himself in a church, confessing his sin over and over again."

"I should apologize for stripping then," Bethany replied, pushing a stray lock of hair away from her eyes.

"I think he rather enjoyed it," Bucky answered. "I mean, he didn't actually see anything, because he probably would've reacted out a little more drastically than he did. But the idea of it… I think you tempted him."

"I was cold," Bethany spoke, a small laugh in her tone. "All I wanted was to warm up. I do things without thinking. Howard says it's the Stark family curse, but in all actuality, I think it's because we don't see the rules of society the way everyone else does. They're all expendable to us."

"Sounds like a nice way to live," He took his arms out of the water and leaned them against the floor behind him. "To be consequence free?"

"Oh, there's consequences. We just deal with them and move on. No lingering. No guilt. It's not the best way to live, but it's the only way we know how. Coping with ever haunting guilt is not my idea of a good time."

"So you just push it all away?" Bucky clarified.

She responded with a nod. "Sometimes it's easier than others. But I'm slowly learning that nothing is easy. Everything and one has baggage. And no matter how hard you want to rid yourself of that baggage, take a nice long trip without any of it, it's always there."

"If anyone could start over, I'd think it'd be you."

"Lying to other people about who I am has never been difficult. But I can only lie to myself for so long. That's when I crack. That's when I spill my guts and face the reality that I can't escape my past decisions. Like you said, there's rumors about me around the base. I haven't been that girl in a long time, but here I am, still that girl. I can't just pretend that everything I did didn't happen."

"You could… reinvent yourself." Bucky said, carefully choosing his words. "I mean, I've always thought the double standards that it's okay for men to sleep around and get experience and women couldn't was always idiotic. If anything, the women should get more experience."

"Who wants to spend their wedding night in pain," Bethany stated with a smirk.

"Exactly," Bucky said with a smile. "But hey. I mean it. You could do it, you know. Re-invent yourself. Or better yet, surround yourself with a group of people who let you be the best version of yourself. The person you want to be."

Bethany nodded, small smile gracing her features. "You know what Barnes? I think I've found them."

* * *

><p>As Steve looked out into the night sky, he could hear the heavy chattering of teeth. He had been keeping watch for almost four hours now, his team fast asleep. Or so he thought. Turning his head, he watched as the lump that Bethany was shivered uncontrollably. They had ruled out lighting a fire to avoid drawing attention, leaving their sleeping area very damn and very cold.<p>

"Beth?" Steve's whispered out to her. "You okay?"

He watched as her eyelids fluttered opened, pulling the blanket impossibly closer to herself. "J-j-I'm just co-l-ld."

Steve frowned as her teeth continued to chatter. "Is there anything I can do? We could move you over closer to the springs."

"I-I'm f-f-ffine"

Getting up from his place, he moved next to her, laying his body along hers. Wrapping his muscular arms around her, she snuggled up against him, the tip of her nose against his neck. "Better?"

"A little," she whispered, pushing herself against him even more, trying to savor in his warmth. "Your skin is so warm."

Steve lifted up her blanket and tucked himself inside it with her, before hitting Bucky who was sleeping beside him. "Wha-?" Bucky mumbled shooting straight up.

"Can you take over watch?" Steve whispered, not wanting to wake up Dum Dum.

His friend nodded sleepily and got up from his spot before noticing Bethany wrapped up in Steve's embrace. "I miss something?"

"She's cold," Steve explained. Bucky nodded, taking the blanket he was using and draping it over the couple.

"Thank you," Bethany said quietly, yet her teeth still knocking together.

"You know," Bucky said as he took his perch at the opening of the cave. "Skin on skin creates warmth."

"Bucky," Steve warned, but as Bethany continued to shake he knew he was right. Looking down at her, her eyes unfocused as it was evident she was trying to stop her shivering, he realized this was a side of Bethany he had yet to see. She was vulnerable.

Finally, he let out a deep breath of air, it swirling into fog. "He's right."

Bethany looked up at him, questioning his motives, but not telling him no. Steve shifted under the blankets, struggling slightly to get the Captain America suit off, but once it and his white t-shirt was lying empty on the rock floor, Bethany could instantly feel his warmth pouring over her.

With shaking hands, she began to take off her clothes. Seeing her struggle, Steve covered her fingers with his hands, a silent telling that he would do it. He could feel her gaze on him as he slipped her jacket and shirt off her body, goose bumps covering her bare skin. He carefully avoided her chest, still covered by the material of her bra, but very much wanting to take that along with it.

He swallowed, aware that he was ogling at her a little, fingers trailing down the side of her body to the top of her trousers where he stopped.

"I'll do it," Bethany whispered, sensing his inner turmoil. He brought his gaze up to her face, forcing himself to concentrate his view there. Yet, as soon as her pants were gone, she was curling up to his side again, sighing contently at his warmth.

Steve pulled the blanket around them tighter, pulling her so she was half lying on him. "Better?" He asked quietly as her legs tangled with his. She was _freezing_, but he could feel her limbs defrosting as they mixed themselves with his.

"Much," Bethany said, lying her head on his chest. "You're so warm."

"I don't get cold much anymore," Steve shared, daring to take in a breath of her hair. It smelled so sweet, so like Bethany that for a couple of seconds, he was blinded of all other senses but smell.

"Lucky," he faintly heard her whisper.

Her hand laid flat on his stomach, dangerously low to his hips. He could feel the unrequited desire burning throughout him, stirring the most heavily where her body touched his. With one hand on the curve of her hip, and one on the flat of her back, he slowly moved his thumbs in a comforting motion. Another sigh escaped her lips, making Steve almost shiver in delight.

"Thank you," she whispered to him, leaning up to kiss his cheek before returning her head to his chest.

Steve smiled at her, her blonde curls spreading across his arms and chest as she got comfortable. "You're welcome, Beth. Good night."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

"Stop dropping it in water," Howard told Bucky as he tinkered over the soldier's gun.

"I'm not doing it on purpose," Bucky insisted. "Can't you make it so water won't damage it?"

"I'm working on it," Howard answered with a sigh. "Beth says she has some ideas, but she looks preoccupied to me…"

The two men turned to where Bethany was sitting on Steve's bike, laughing at something Steve—who was leaning against the wall—said.

"I wish they would just hook up already so her focus could be back on work."

Bucky shook his head, "You'd think something would've happened already. Especially after what happened on the mission."

"What? What happened?" Howard asked turning his full attention over to Bucky.

Bucky raised an eyebrow, surprised that no one had told him. Of course, there was only the four of them that knew it happened and Steve had threatened both Bucky and Dum Dum. "They… slept together. Not like together together, but she was cold, and he kept her warm. With his body heat. They kept their unmentionables on however."

Howard leaned back against the table, crossing his arms. "Really?"

"Good thing Steve woke up before Bethany," Bucky concluded. "I've never seen anyone with a morning glory quite like that before. If you don't mind me saying, I mean."

Howard turned back to where Steve and Bethany were, Bethany leaning over the engine of the motorcycle, replacing some gears, Steve standing behind her playing with her hair. Despite the fact that she was his sister, he would never be overprotective of what she decided to do with her body. They had agreed long ago that she held full responsibility over it.

"No," Howard assured. "She's my sister, but I know how men react to her. Even when she's not trying."

"She's breathtaking. Even if she wasn't so utterly beautiful, there's an air about her. All that charm. Hard to say no, even when she's the one deciding for you."

Howard nodded, "I know. The amount of men I've had to pull away from her over the years because they won't back off? More than should be possible."

"Steve was good though," Bucky promised. "Comforted her. Made sure she was warm, but didn't dare take advantage of her."

"Which is why he's good for her. He'll let her be in charge," Howard explained. "She just doesn't see that she loves him."

"I think she knows, but won't admit it. Just look at her," Bucky said with a head nod towards them. Bethany had jumped up on Steve's back, trying to recover the wrench he was holding high above his head. "She keeps insisting that there's nothing between them, but there clearly is."

"Yeah, and their clothes clearly isn't it," Howard answered. "I'll talk to her."

Bucky nodded. "Good, because I can't see him pine after her any more. It's painful. He could have anyone, and the one he wants the most is unknowingly pulling him on a string."

"Hey Beth!" Howard called out, catching her attention. She slid off Steve's back, quickly making her way over. Bucky made his way over to Steve, distracting him so the Stark siblings could have some privacy.

"What's wrong?" Bethany asked cocking her head.

"Nothing," Howard said with a shrug. "Just wanted to ask what you were doing."

Her eyebrows furrowed together. "I thought it was obvious. I'm updating the gears on Steve's-"

"No, you weren't. You and Steve were fooling around."

One of her shoulders quirked up. "Okay, so maybe we were having fun. I didn't know that I was on a schedule. Or under scrutiny."

Howard pushed his hands into his pockets. "Beth, do you realize what you're putting that boy through?"

"Excuse me?" Bethany asked, all traces of happiness slipping away like a balloon string through a child's fingers.

"Do you not see it, Beth? See how much he loves you? How much he wants to be with you? And all you do is led him on-"

"I do _not_," Bethany insisted, quickly growing upset.

"No? Because you two are surely acting like a couple. And what's this I hear about you stripping down and _sleeping_ next to him? Because if that's not stringing someone along, I don't know what is."

"You better stop talking about things you don't know about," Bethany warned, clenching her fists together. "And better yet, stop being a hypocrite. You do the exact same thing, making a girl feel special and then moving on?"

"But you _aren't_ moving on," Howard stressed. "This has been going on for far too long for it to be like me. Don't you get it?"

"You can't tell me what to do."

Howard gave a dry chuckle. "No, maybe I can't. But you're putting him through the exact same thing that Jaso-"

"Don't you _dare_ finish that sentence," She sternly said between clenched teeth. "Or I swear-"

"What Beth? What'll you do?" She shook her head and went to turn around, feeling her anger wrapped around her like a cape. "You know I'm right Beth. You're doing the same thing to him as Jason did to you."

_That_ is when she lunged for him.

* * *

><p>"You two looked close," Bucky said wandering over to Steve. The man just dug his hands into his pockets. "What? You've got nothing to say?"<p>

"I don't really know _what_ to say, to be honest Buck," Steve admitted.

Bucky patted his back. "Well, how does it feel? To have her be so comfortable around you."

Steve let a small smile tug at his lips. "Really good."

"I can tell," Bucky replied, turning the handles of Steve's bike. "She makes you happy."

"She makes everyone happy," Steve said turning to watch his best friend.

Bucky chuckled, flipping some hair out of his view. "Yes, but she makes you happy in a different way. Why don't you just tell her?"

"That she makes me happy?" Steve asked, raising an eyebrow.

Bucky rolled his eyes at Steve's incompetence towards women and the subject of wooing one. "More than just that. That you think she's amazing, beautiful, funny, smart-"

"Why don't you tell her that?" Steve asked, shifting around awkwardly. "I mean, everyone knows it's true. She's all that and more."

"You don't get it, do you?" Bucky said with exasperation. "It's as clear as the star on your shield. You're in love with her. And lately, men have been backing off her. I know you've noticed that too. They don't flock her like they once did. Because _they _know that you love her."

Steve took in a heavy sigh. "I don't want to take the chance and ruin our friendship."

Bucky shook his head in an attempt to hold back his frustrated laughter. "Steve, you finally find a girl who likes you for who you are. Who believes in you. And what, you don't want to _ruin your friendship_?"

"Stay out of it, Bucky," Steve cautioned.

"Not until you admit to yourself that it's idiotic."

"Don't you _dare_ finish that sentence," they heard from across the room. "Or I swear-"

"What Beth?" Howard yelled back at her in such a casual way, it was almost like they didn't know that they were full out yelling at each other, and everyone was watching. "What'll you do?"

"I've never seen them like this," Bucky whispered to Steve.

Steve's brows furrowed as Bethany turned around to walk away, shaking her head. She was fuming. "You know I'm right Beth. You're doing the same thing to him as Jason did to you."

In a blink of an eye, Bethany had turned around and lunged at Howard, throwing the two of them to the ground. Steve and Bucky acted fast as Bethany and Howard rolled around on the ground, Howard holding Bethany's wrists so her attempts to punch him were foiled.

"Hey, hey hey!" Steve yelled as he wrapped his arms around Bethany's waist. "Hey calm down!" He ordered her, only to have her continue thrashing and throwing insults every which way at Howard, some in languages Steve didn't recognize.

Bucky helped Howard to his feet, who swayed slightly and touched the side of his lip where blood shone bright. "What the hell?!" Bucky asked the siblings.

"Let me GO STEVE!" Bethany yelled, her feet kicking in the air as Steve tightened his grip.

"Not until you cool down," Steve instructed, hiking her over his shoulder, carrying her like a sack of potatoes. Her kicks in the air intensified as she struggled to turn out of his grip.

"ROGERS. LET. ME. GOOOO!" She screamed, fists banging on his back. Steve's only response was turning around and leaving the lab, her protests loud and clear.

He knew exactly where he was heading for. A place for her to cool down. People around the halls watched the spectacle, not sure how to respond. They had never seen the girl, or any girl, react in such a way.

When Steve finally reached the communal showers, he opened up the door and commanded everyone to get out. The men in the showers turned to see him, with Bethany over his shoulder screaming and quickly gathered what they could, many running out with just a towel around their waists.

"STEVE!" Bethany screamed again as he walked underneath a shower, turning on the cold water. It streamed down around them as Steve let her down from his shoulder, holding her up against the wall.

"COOL DOWN!" he yelled over her protests. The water was _freezing_ and while it didn't effect Steve like her, it was still uncomfortable.

Soon, Bethany's screams faded away and she stood there, under Steve's grip, shivering from the cold water. Steve's gaze was on her intently, searching for any sign that she was ready to break away and find Howard. Instead, he noticed tears.

He reached around her, turning off the water and letting Bethany slip down the wall, curling into a ball. Steve sat down next to her, wrapping his arms around her as her body began to convulse with every tear.

"S-sorry," she stuttered, her voice hoarse. "I just-"

"Shhh," Steve responded quickly, rubbing her arms in attempt to smooth out the goose bumps. "It's alright."

"No, it's not," she snapped, her head following suit. "I lost my temper. I embarrassed myself in front of _everyone_. Showed them that I'm nothing but an emotional little girl."

Steve went to tell her she was wrong, but knew that even him saying so wouldn't change the situation. "Maybe just a little."

Bethany gave him a weak smile, his tone clearly trying to cheer her up. "He just…" she let out a deep breath, moving to rest her head on his shoulder.

"What did he say?" Steve asked quietly, resting his chin on her head. "You two have fought before, but never like that."

Bethany, remembering what sparked the conversation, slipped out of Steve's arms, standing up, shivering madly. "Come here," Steve said, standing up, offering his warmth.

She took a step back, holding out a hand to distance herself. "Just…" Bethany trailed off, brow wrinkled, biting the inside of her cheek.

She was fighting some inner turmoil, Steve could tell. But more than just that, her anger was slowly coming back to the surface. "What did he say?" Bethany lowered her hand, wrapping her arms together to try and warm herself up. "Beth, talk to me."

"I can't," she said quietly.

Steve crossed his arms over his wet clothes. "Is it about Jason?" When she didn't react at all, he knew he was right. "He shouldn't have brought him up."

"No," Bethany agreed. "But he did. And he had the nerve to say I was like him."

Steve frowned. "Bethany, he used you for _months_. Made you believe he was in love with you. He played with your heart. He used you. You're nothing like that."

"Except that I am," she spoke up, moving to lay her head against the shower wall. "I'm exactly like him. And you of all people… you-" She slipped down the wall again, but no tears fell this time.

Steve knelt down across from her, taking her hands. "You're not thinking straight. Let's get you back to your room, and you can clean up and then when you're thinking clearly, then we'll talk. Okay?"

She nodded meekly as he pulled on her hands helping her up. Steve turned to turn off all the water that was left on by some of the soldiers as Bethany took a step forward. The water on the ground and the heels on her feet disagreed, her slipping backwards and hitting her shoulder on the handle for the taps.

"Shit," she let out as she felt her skin rip in half. Steve quickly took his jacket off and put it around her, Bethany's fingers pressing up against the wound. "I swear; my skin is only more vulnerable now that I can heal."

"Hurry," Steve said, carefully leading her out the bathroom. "If anyone sees you with blood they'll want to get you to the infirmary. My room is closest."

Bethany didn't say anything, just let Steve led her in the direction of his room. At every corner, Steve peered around to make sure no one was there, and when they got to his room, double checked it was just them before leading her in and closing the door behind him.

Bethany took the jacket off and hung the wet material around Steve's desk chair. Steve watched as she slipped the shoulder of her dress down, baring the healing skin to him. "Is it healed yet?" She asked, not being able to see for herself.

Steve moved closer, not being able to see it perfectly in the dark room. "I think so. Does it hurt?"

"Just a numbing feeling," she whispered. "There's always a numbing feeling after."

He moved his fingers forward slightly, touching the skin that had just stitched itself together. Bethany cringed a little, Howard's words echoing in her head, but as Steve elected to ignore her slight step away, his fingers continuing to stroke the new skin.

It felt as though his fingers were jolting electricity throughout her, the numbness disappearing and her senses being brought back tenfold. Before she even knew what she was doing, she took a step backwards, drawing her back against Steve's chest. The soldier responded by wrapping his arms around her, holding her tightly to him.

"Steve?" She whispered so quietly, he almost missed it. He let out a soft hum in response. "You're getting me wet."

She could feel his laughter rumbling in his chest. "Let me clean the blood off you, and then I'll-uh, get Peggy to get you some dry clothes."

His arms fell away from her as he turned on a dim light, then moved to his wash bin. Bethany settled herself on the bed. Steve sat behind her, shimming the dress down a little more, secretly glad she couldn't see his face. The image of her bare skin was still as beautiful as the first time he saw it.

"I guess this dress is garbage," she sighed as she felt the water from the cloth on her back.

"I'll buy you a new one," Steve whispered, shifting closer to her.

Bethany frowned, turning her head towards his. "Why? Why are you so good to me? I don't get it."

Steve stopped his movements momentarily before resuming. "Because I want to." When the red was gone from her skin, Steve traced one finger along her neck. "You don't use me. I don't know what made you think that, but you don't use me. You don't force me to do anything. I do them… well, because I care for you."

A pregnant pause passed before a "thanks Steve" sounded.

"I'm going to get Peggy-"

"No," Bethany quickly responded, facing him. "Don't leave. I just… I don't want to get into anymore trouble, and you seem to ground me. I don't trust myself just yet."

Steve nodded, but stood up and went to his drawer, pulling out a white SSR shirt. "Here," he said handing it to her. "I don't know if you can get sick or not, but let's not risk it."

She put the shirt on the bed as she stood up to peel the wet and ripped dress off of her. Steve watched it fall to a pool around her feet, then allowed his eyes to travel up her legs. They looked impossibly smooth.

As Bethany reached for the shirt, Steve moved forward and boldly touched the side of her arm with his fingers, caressing the spot carefully. Bethany looked up into his eyes, his focus on where his fingers were gently stroking her skin. The electricity from earlier reappeared in full force and Bethany suddenly felt a fire in her she hadn't since… well since Steve first transformed.

It was like she was noticing him all over again. For so long she made him her friend, and forced herself to see it that way. But now, with him courageously moving forward, face so innocent yet so incredibly irresistible and the memory of his muscles around her, she was almost blindsided by lust.

She inched forward, placing her hands on his chest, slowly moving them to circle around his neck. This caught his gaze, him looking down at her with the same hunger she felt. Pulling his neck down a little, their lips ghosted over each other's, never touching, but each breath sending shivers down their necks.

"Tell me to stop," Bethany whispered, each word echoing off his lips. "Tell me that you want me to leave right now, and never speak of this again."

"No," Steve whispered back, hearing the fear in her voice. It was something he had never heard from her before. Fear. Bethany Stark was actually afraid of something, something as simple as lust and desire and love.

"Why?" She asked quietly, voice cracking a little, clear evidence of her trying to hold back tears.

"Because," Steve breathed against her lips. "I love you."

The words, words she had heard before from her parents, her brother, Jason and all those one night stands that truly believed it was something special, there was something different about them now. There was something in the way he said it, almost as if him saying it was a curse, but he couldn't hold it back any longer. Something about the way his eyes shone, showing that it wasn't just an attempt to get something from her. There were no ifs, ands or buts. It was three simple words, with a very heavy meaning.

And more importantly, there was something about the way her heart pounded when he told her, in a way it never had with anyone else.

It was something she knew. Something she figured out on her own, had Bucky, had Peggy, had Howard tell her, but him saying it was something else on its own. Because him reaffirming it somehow made it real and permanent.

She moved an inch closer to him, their lips now touching, but neither of them moving. Her lips tasted like coffee and lipstick. His like peppermint toothpaste. It's like they're swallowing each other's breaths, frozen in time, neither wanting to ruin the moment moving one way or the other. It was so perfect, wrapped in each other, tasting each other, and so close to being one.

Despite his wet clothes, his body heat pushed out and enveloped her. She no longer felt the need to shiver because she was cold, only because she was so warm, body on fire from the lust pouring throughout her, every beat of her heart only intensifying it. They were barely touching but she had never craved someone as she was craving him, the pit of her stomach twisting, begging for some sort of pressure. Some sort of _release_.

Steve slowly brought his hands to rest on her hips, giving her a slight jolt, enough for their lips to press together. Gently, tentatively and carefully, their lips touched, savoring the moment before pulling away. Bethany could feel the adrenaline pumping through her so forcefully, so painstakingly fast that the second their lips were apart again, she felt as if her own two lips had been frozen.

She moved in again, nipping his lips, once, twice, thrice before Steve got the courage to respond, taking her lips in between his, daring himself to run his tongue gently across her lip, just as Private Lorraine had done to him all those months ago, leaving Bethany breathless before it barely started.

Bethany granted what Steve didn't know he wanted, permission to explore her further. His tongue searching the hollows of her mouth, arms enfolding her securely closer to him, tensing when he felt her tongue join his. But Bethany's quiet moan and her fingers tangling themselves in his hair gave him the nerve deepen the kiss.

She broke apart, breathless, pressing her head over his heart, her neck completely exposed. Steve leaned down, his nose running along her neck before closing his lips around the soft spot where her neck and shoulder met. Bethany moved her grip towards his biceps, her small hands barely big enough to get a proper grip, but holding on tightly as he laid wet, open mouth kisses, slowly to the same spot.

"Steve…" she whispered, clinging onto him as her knees became weak. Steve, however, didn't know it was a cry of pleasure and looked up to her. His hair was falling in his face in a way Bethany always found endearing.

"I-I don't know what I'm doing," he admitted with a shy smile. He felt no need to cower and be embarrassed. Not right now. Not with her.

Bethany smiled, eyes drooping slightly, before tugging at the bottom of his wet shirt. "Take this off, and I'll show you."

He followed her instructions, starting with his tie, and suddenly felt very self-conscious. It was stupid, he knew that. He wasn't that skinny kid from Brooklyn anymore, but a built war hero who was history in the making. Steve only felt more reassured when her fingers moved to trace the divots of his muscles slowly before leaning up on her toes and pressing her lips against his neck.

Steve could feel his breath hitch in his throat as she gave his skin a long suck, her breath so incredibly warm and arousing. He felt her teeth nip, her tongue trace and her lips taste everything that was him. Her lips moved up his neck, him lowering his head so their lips could meet again, this time their kisses more reassured.

But despite the heavy, long and deep kisses, it remained slow and passionate, pushing their bodies together in every way they could, trying to get more of each other. All of their senses were heightened and they were aware of every kiss, every breath, every moan. His hands moved up her back as hers moved across his back.

They were both too far gone, too drunk on lust and too swept up on every feeling to even stop and register what their bodies had been made for. They wanted each other. They _craved _each other, and no other source of release would suffice now.

When Steve's fingers brushed her bra strap, Bethany whispered "take it off" in between their kisses. She was breathless, her lungs begging for air, but she refused to give them that. She needed Steve more than she needed to breathe. Hesitantly, Steve unclasped the bra, Bethany shimming her arms to let it fall away from her.

Their bare chests met, each of them holding back a shiver. Steve pulled her impossibly closer, feeling Bethany trying to pull herself up in attempt to meet his height. With slightly shaking hands, Steve lowered his hands to her waist and pull her up, her legs immediately wrapping around him.

Sensing her struggle to breathe, he trailed his lips down her jawline and to her collarbone, carefully nipping her soft skin. The light sigh that slipped through her lips and the way she pushed her hips in closer to his made him lay his head against her shoulder, savoring the moment.

"You okay?" Her voice came softly, a smile clear through it. Her fingers played with the hair on the nape of his neck, lips placing a delicate kiss on his shoulder.

"Fighting an inner battle," he revealed before looking up at her. Her lips were swollen, parted slightly as her labored breathing pulsed through them. Her damp hair was starting to curl a little, but for the most part clung to her neck and face. Her eyes sparkled with lust, a sly smile gracing her features. She was both a mess and the most beautiful Steve had ever seen her. "I-I'm not sure if we should stop. If we do go on, what to do. What happens after…"

Bethany bit the side of her lip, savoring the taste on them before leaning her forehead against his. "Do you want to stop? Right now, at this moment?"

"No," he whispered. "But my body has taken over my sense of judgment right now."

"The fact that we're having this conversation means it hasn't," Bethany shared with a heart clenching smile. "I'm not going to tell you to stop. But I'm not going to make the decision regarding whether you want to stop or not. It's up to you."

Steve closed his eyes, quietly surveying his body. He wanted more. He wanted it all. And more importantly, he wanted it _now_. It was so easy to see, with her almost naked body pressed tightly against his why so many men spent nights with women warming their bed. It was so clear, so addicting and so enlightening. Passion, lust, desire, want. All of it coursing through his blood, all demanding the same thing. More. More. And then finally release. He wanted this. Not only to be tangled with Bethany's limbs, to melt into her very being and become one, but to, in simpler terms, make _love_ to her.

He didn't want to be like all the other men, taking her for granted. He _loved_ her, and damn well knew with that came respect. He _needed _her to know this, to know that she meant more than just one night.

"I just need you to know that I don't want you as an object," Steve finally whispered. "I want you as an equal. I respect you. _I love you_, and I don't want you to doubt this."

Bethany sniffed slightly, blinking back the stinging feeling in her eyes. "I know you aren't like the others Steve. You're the greatest man I know." Bethany unwrapped her legs and slid down his body, pushing the last of her clothes off her body. "I'm yours if you'll take me."

Steve responded with a soul crushing kiss, the sudden force pushing them downwards on the bed. Careful not to crush Bethany, he held his upper body up as their lips met over and over again, each other's taste blending into one. Bethany's fingers lingered up and down his arms, his chiseled chest, the strong line of his jaw, into his hair and repeated, her fingernails dragging ever so softly. There wasn't pain, but slight shivers at the idea of Bethany marking him, and even if it was only for a little while, the idea so incredibly perfect.

Steve's fingers dusted lightly over her sides, hesitant to touch her now naked body. "Touch me," Bethany said in between kisses. "Don't be shy."

It wasn't mocking but reassuring to hear her ask this of him and blushing, he pulled himself away from her to take in her body. Her perfect skin, the swells of her breast, each one a perfect mount. His breath caught in his throat as he lowered his lips to her shoulders, slowly moving down with each movement, taking in her reaction to him, the labor of her breath, her hips rocking against his stomach, feeling her moist center against his abs and the struggle to hold back her moans.

"Steve," she let out quietly. "Don't make me beg."

Pulling his head up to kiss her lips softly once, he stood up, removing the rest of his clothes. He could feel her gaze on him only intensifying the desire even more. Watching her, the rise and fall of her chest, her hands above her head, legs crossed at the ankles, he knew that this moment couldn't be any better. He reached into his bedside table, taking one of the rubbers the military painstakingly insisted every soldier have. Rolling it on himself, he moved to hover over her.

"Ready?" He felt obligatory to ask, but Bethany just smiled, head rolling to the side. He leaned down to kiss her neck before pushing into her and letting euphoria take over.

* * *

><p>The room was thick, even two hours later, and smelled heavily of sex and smoke. Peggy Lee sang quietly in the background, Bethany having turned on the radio long ago. Steve and Bethany lied in the bed, tangled in each other and the sheets. Two hours later and Bethany was still exhausted. She had been drifting in and out of consciousness as Steve played with her hair. They barely said anything to each other since they both became unraveled, but nothing needed to be said.<p>

Bethany reached up, taking the cigarette from Steve's fingers and taking a long drag. "I hate these things," she whispered as the smoke escaped from her lips.

Steve took it from her and crushed the bud out. "Why do you smoke them then?"

"Only when the mood calls for it," she let out, cuddling deeper against him. "It's a social norm."

Steve kissed the top of her head. "You can sleep, Bethany."

"Mmmm," she moaned. "I feel too good to sleep."

Steve chuckled, taking a little pride in himself. "So it wasn't bad?"

Bethany titled her head up to look at him. "No. Not at all. My recovery time doesn't usually take this long. It was different, but in a good way. A very good way."

He leaned in and kissed her forehead. "Good. Because it was amazing for me."

Bethany gave him a tired smile, settling her head back up against his chest. His moves had been constantly hesitant, not really sure of what he was doing, but always making sure Bethany was responding well and applying what she liked. She could feel the love. This, paired with the fact he was well-endowed, made for one of the most pleasurable experiences of her life. And her release hit her so hard, so fast and so long that afterwards she couldn't stop shaking, smiling and seeing stars. Her legs ached from clenching around his waist so tightly.

Closing her eyes, she could feel herself drifting away and knew she wouldn't be able to stop it. But she had enough energy to sing along to the last bits of the song. _"Lovely, never, never change. Keep that breathless charm. Won't you please arrange it for I love you. Just the way you look tonight."_


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

The first thing Steve registered as he woke up was smell. It was very perfumed by sweat, sex and the breathtaking scent that was Bethany. The second thing was the way he felt. Re-energized. His body seemed to tingle still from the encounter of the night before, her lips on his body, fingers trailing the divots of his muscles, holding onto him as she convulsed so beautifully under him. The third thing he sensed in the room was the music still playing a song Steve didn't know, but couldn't help but smile. It was a love song that seemed to fit so perfectly with the moment. The fourth thing Steve noticed was that the bed was cold. And that he was alone.

Opening his eyes, he looked around the room for his blonde-headed beauty, yet was met with the usual surroundings of his room. Reaching over to turn off the music, Steve sat up running a hand through his hair. Bethany's wet, ripped dress no longer pooled beside his bed. She had completely disappeared and for a second, Steve wondered if he dreamt the whole thing.

But her scent on his pillow, that distinct smell of her shampoo, perfume, rust and metal that made up everything that she was lingered. While he wanted to take a shower, the immediate need to find her took priority. Pulling on his clothes, electing to not wear his jacket since it was still a little damp, he began his search for her.

The first place he looked was the cafeteria. If he was hungry, she probably was too. But he didn't see her sitting in her usual spot, cup of tea with the insane amount of five spoonful's of sugar inside, chewing on any piece of fruit they had to offer that day. Frowning, he made his way to her room.

Before he could get there, he was stopped by Howard. "Rogers, you seen Beth?"

"No," Steve said shoving his hands in his pockets. "I'm looking for her too."

Howard shook his head. "I was up all night wanting to apologize, but I couldn't find her. I'm starting to get worried. When's the last time you saw her?"

Steve looked at his feet for a second, hair getting into his view. He wasn't about to tell Howard that Bethany had spent the night in his arms. "Last night."

"And? Was she still mad last time you saw her?"

Steve moved to flick his hair away from his eyes. "No. She seemed pretty calm," Steve said truthfully, smiling to himself as a memory overtook him.

"Then where is she?" Howard asked, crossing his arms. "She wouldn't just _disappear,_ would she?"

Steve frowned. "Should we be worried? Has she done this before?"

Howard sighed, shrugging. "Beth can take care of herself, but she and I don't fight. Not like yesterday, anyways. I'm just concerned she'll do something she'll regret. Which would be pretty horrific considering that girl does _not_ know what guilt is."

"You shouldn't have said those things to her," Steve told him as the two men stepped into pace, looking for the lost girl.

"She tell ya?" Howard asked casually. "And yes, I did. Someone needed to."

"She wasn't hurting anyone," Steve replied.

Howard chuckled, "Whatever you say pal."

"Bethany isn't Jason," Steve insisted.

"You're blinded by your infatuation with her to see that-"

"Howard," Steve cut off bluntly. He wasn't in the mood to talk about this. "Just drop it."

Silence fell over them as they continued to walk the halls in search for the girl of the hour. "Wait…" Howard said holding out a hand to stop Steve. "I know where she is."

Sure enough, Howard and Steve found Bethany in the lab, under a submarine with a wrench in her hand. Both of them felt idiotic for not looking there to begin with. Howard and Bethany were one and the same, and Howard usually reverted to fixing things when he wanted to fix something in his life. It was clear when they walked in that Bethany had a lot on her mind.

"Beth?" Howard asked, crouching down to be on the same level as her. "Can we talk?"

"I'm a little busy Howard," came a muffled response.

Steve leaned down beside Howard, trying his luck. "Beth?"

She stilled when she heard his voice, laced with so much concern. She took in a deep breath before crawling out from the submarine. "Yes?" Her eyes didn't meet his, as if she was ashamed of herself.

Howard put his hands up in a motion of surrender. "I just want to talk."

Bethany let the wrench fall from her hands as she sat up and crossed her arms. "If it's about yesterday, I'm sorry for punching your lip."

"But are you really?" Howard asked with a raised brow, knowing his sister all too well.

"No," Bethany admitted. "You deserved it. And if I didn't know better, I'd think you were actually hoping to get that response out of me."

"I went too far," Howard agreed. "But I think I got my point across."

"What you did was mean," Bethany said pointedly, standing up. "You know that's a sore spot for me."

"Beth," Steve spoke as she moved to the other side of the sub, sitting in a straddle position. He followed her, crouching down so they could be on the same level. "Are you still mad?"

She sighed, running her hair through her fingers. "I just have a lot on my mind. My emotions are getting mixed up. I just… I need some time to think," Bethany told him softly, her eyes finally meeting his.

"Beth-"

"Please, Howard." Bethany interrupted. "Don't you think I deserve at least that much?"

The two men watched as Bethany laid down under the submarine, her legs the only thing showing. Both of them wanted so much to talk to her about the night before. Howard wanted to apologize, but didn't know how. Steve wanted to know why she left and more importantly, where they were now. And since Bethany was a party involved, they both knew it wouldn't be an easy task.

They stepped back to give her the space she so desperately wanted, but weren't ready to leave yet. They didn't want to risk the chance of her escaping from their sight again. Howard picked up a screwdriver and twirled it in between his fingers.

"So I know why I want to talk to her," Howard spoke, watching as Bethany's feet swayed from side to side. "What about you? What happened after you whisked her away last night?" Steve's only response was staring at Bethany's feet intently. "Wait… did you? Oh wow," Howard said chuckling. "You slept with my sister, didn't you?"

Steve allowed a quick glance Howard's way before looking back at Bethany's combat boots, not wanting to say anything, but feeling his neck, ears and face start to pink. "Well, you're welcome."

"Excuse me?" Steve asked, frowning.

"If I didn't say what I did, nothing would have happened. Therefore, you're welcome. Although, on the other hand, I guess that doesn't help matters does it?"

"What are you getting at Stark?" Steve asked, turning his full attention to Howard. He wasn't a fan of how the man seemed to talk in riddles.

Howard put the screwdriver down, crossing his arms. "Nothing is simple when it comes Bethany. Haven't you learned that by now? It's not just sex with her. Jason took everything Bethany was and ripped her to shreds. She's spent the last few years putting herself back together. But that's exactly it. She wasn't put back together the same. All her emotions are confused. She's hiding behind a mask of uncertainty; one so good she has herself believing in it."

"You're losing me," Steve told him, not entirely sure what Howard's point was.

"Did she say that she loved you?" Howard questioned. "Did you say that you loved her?"

Steve didn't answer the question, but realized that Howard was right. Steve had told Bethany he loved her, gave her everything and while her actions spoke so much louder than her words, she never once responded with those words. The way she called out his name as she crumbled into an oblivion under him, the soul crushing kisses and the slightly crazed expression she wore as they recovered told him she felt the same. But she never once said anything.

"Look, Bethany is complicated," Howard spoke delicately. "I truly believe she has feelings for you beyond friendship. But last night could've happened for a million reasons. To prove me wrong, maybe. To prove herself wrong, more likely. Just don't assume you two will be joining hands at the altar anytime soon."

_That_ was exactly why Steve wanted to talk to Bethany. Lying with her felt so right, so natural. They weren't pressured to hide themselves from each other. She let him watch her, touch her and relish in the pleasure of her doing the same. But he knew deep down that Howard was wrong. Bethany, like Steve, had been caught up in months of unsated emotion. It meant something to her. It wasn't just sex. He knew this.

"I'm rooting for you two," Howard shared. "But I'm just warning you. Bethany is more complicated than she seems."

"I'm ready for the challenge," Steve told him confidently. "There's no one else. I know that. I've almost always known that. She's perfect."

Howard chuckled, "She's a little rough around the edges. You see her with a halo over her head, but we both know she isn't an angel."

"I like that she's rough around the edges," Steve spoke truthfully. "You never know what to expect."

"That's not always a good thing, Steve."

Steve went to open his mouth to defend Bethany in any way he could, despite knowing that realistically, Howard was right. Steve counted his lucky stars as a loud echo thumped within the lab, catching the attention of everyone. Pinpointing the source of the sound, Steve's face dropped.

A big metal pole used to hold part of the submarine up had fallen onto Bethany's leg. He and Howard quickly sprang into action, Steve quickly holding the submarine as to not fall and crush Bethany all together. With a heavy push, the submarine moved a couple inches, allowing Howard to get Bethany's body out from under the threat of the falling submarine.

Steve leaned down to take in the expression on her face. Pure pain. Her gaze was on the heavy pole crushing her foot. No tears threatened to fall, but Steve knew this was because she was in shock. "Get a stretcher!" He heard one of the bystanders yell.

"Steve," Howard whispered from the other side of Bethany. "As soon as the pole is off her foot, it'll begin healing."

Steve nodded, trying to find a crack in the mask of shock Bethany was wearing. He moved in to touch her cheek where he caught her attention and she began to hyperventilate. "What do we do?" Steve whispered back.

"We'll have to carry her to the infirmary. You pick up her body and I'll hold her foot in place." Howard looked uncertain of his words, but knew that Bethany's secret would easily be exposed if they didn't do this.

Moving to her feet, Howard put the leg not under the pole over his shoulder, then with Steve's help, moved the pole. Bethany finally let out a cry of pain, teeth clenched together. Howard grasped the broken and bloody foot tightly as Steve moved to lift up Bethany's body.

Bethany's nails dug into Steve's arm with every step the two men made, Howard trying desperately not to hurt his sister more than was necessary. She let out moans of displeasure, sharp breaths of air and little squeaks, but Steve had to give her credit for not crying.

As soon as they made it into the infirmary, they placed her down on the first available bed, all grateful no nurses or doctors were hanging around. Bethany pressed her hands up against her mouth as Steve brought the curtains to a close around them. Howard took in a deep breath before going to remove her boot.

Steve watched as Bethany's face scrunched up in pain, succeeding in not making a sound. When the boot and sock were off, Steve cringed at the gruesome image in front of him. In normal circumstances, the limb would never heal properly. But slowly, the bones snapped back into place, the open cuts sealing together like it was nothing.

Bethany flopped down from her sitting position, letting her hands making their way up into her hair. "How's it feel?" Howard asked sorting through the first aid kit on the table next to the bed.

"Numb," Bethany mumbled. "Thank God."

Howard gave her a small smile before gathering a couple bandaged rolls over to the end of the bed. "Unfortunately, you're going to have to fake a foot injury for the next three months or so."

Bethany moaned annoyed as Howard began to clean her foot and wrap it. "Well that's just great."

"Hey Beth?" Howard asked as he tightly wrapped the material around her foot. "I'm sorry."

Bethany sat up and gave him a small smile. "I know. I'm sorry too."

"Forget it happened?" Howard questioned with hope.

"Deal," Bethany said tiredly as she wiggled her toes. "There goes my boots…"

"I'll get you some new ones," Steve spoke up, reminding them of his presence. His gaze caught Bethany's and she looked at him with complete guilt. Quickly looking down at her finger nails as if they were the most interesting thing in the world, Steve felt his stomach drop.

"Listen, I have some stuff to do," Howard told Bethany. "You'll be okay?"

Bethany nodded and watched as her brother left. Steve crossed his arms, wanting very much to talk to her, but not knowing how. Finally, after what felt like years of silence, Bethany said "I'm sorry for leaving."

Steve flipped his eyes to her, brow creasing slightly. "Are you?" He asked softly, sensing more than that.

She sighed, moving to dangle her legs off the bed. "Not really. I don't regret leaving. I needed to think. To tinker. To fix _something_. But I am sorry that I had to do that. I wish I didn't."

Steve pulled over a chair by the foot of the bed and settled into it. "And? Have you cleared your mind enough to tell me what's going through it?"

"Not much, I'm afraid." Bethany told him, looking at her hands. "Just wallowing in more guilt than ever."

Steve reached forward for her hands. It pained him to think that she was feeling guilty instead of rejoicing like he was, but pushed away his self-pity. Howard was right. There was so much more to Bethany than he thought. The façade she put on of happiness and carefree personality had broken down to revealed an emotionally troubled girl. "You shouldn't feel guilty. You didn't force me into anything."

Bethany shook her head, the curls framing her face in a way that made her look impossibly young. So fragile and weak. It was a shock to see her this way. "It's not that. I'm feeling guilty because of my past mistakes. I-" she took a deep breath in, running her hands through her hair. "You deserve someone that isn't swimming in sins. Someone who can dedicate themselves to you. I-I can't be that person!" Now she looked half-crazed.

Steve gave her hands a quick squeeze. "I'm not asking you to be. Bethany, I just want to be with _you_. As you are right now. I want to give us a try."

"But _why_?" She asked, breathing heavily. "I'm only one of thousands who are readily available and you picked me. Why? I just don't…. I don't understand."

Steve leaned in and kissed her forehead. "Calm down, Beth. You're getting all worked up."

"I'm not good enough for you," She insisted pulling her hands away.

"Stop that," Steve instructed, his inner leader coming out. "Bethany, I'm not asking you to be whatever you think I should have. I want _you_ for who _you _are. You said it yourself, sometimes love picks you. I love _you_. Not the ideal woman someone is supposed to fall for, but _you._"

She looked up at him, eyebrows furrowed slightly. She didn't look convinced, but was calming down with every second. "I'm scared," she finally admitted. "Of what, I'm not sure. But there's so many emotions flooding every which way, I can barely see straight."

"Do you need more time to think?" He asked, not ready to leave, but knowing if it would help her, he would do it in a second.

Instead, Bethany leaned forward, leaning her head on his shoulder. Steve responded by wrapping his arms around her and holding her close. "I just don't know what I want anymore. I used to be sure of everything, but since I woke up this morning, I'm doubting everything. Banana or apple? High heels or combat boots? Hair up or down? I just don't know. But I do know this feels right."

The words set a light within Steve, capturing his whole being. The fact that she felt how right, how _perfect_ being together, even in moments like these, reassured him that she had feelings for him. That those feelings could very well be love but were shadowed by her fear of commitment.

"I'm not asking you to run away with me," Steve whispered. "You gave me a chance once. I'm asking you to do it one more time."

She pulled away slightly to look at him. He looked so much like that little boy from World of Tomorrow Expo asking for a chance to fight overseas. To end the madness and bring peace back to the world. She knew she couldn't say no.

"We'll take it slow," Steve told her with a small smile, his thumbs moving softly across her skin. "A date, perhaps? After getting Howard's approval, I'd take you out for dinner. Maybe dancing?"

This made Bethany smile, her beauty shining through. "Dancing, huh?"

"Yeah," he said moving to push one of her curls behind her ear. "And you know that I wouldn't be asking you this if I wasn't serious about us."

Bethany leaned her head back against his shoulder. "I'm not good with relationships."

"Neither am I," Steve promised, having virtually no experience. "We'll struggle through it together. But last night Beth? You can't tell me it's like that with just anyone."

"No," she whispered. He could feel her smile against his neck. "Last night was special."

"Is that a yes?" He asked with a light tone.

Bethany giggled as she looked back up to him. "There's just one problem."

Steve frowned, but as she wore a smile, he knew she had mostly returned to her usual flair. "And what's that, ma'am?"

She gave his arm a playful slap at his equally joking tone before shifting on the bed slightly, pulling her bandaged leg up. "You'll have to wait three months for that dance."

Steve couldn't hold back his laughter. "I've waited this long, I think I can wait three more months."

"You sure?" Bethany asked, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "No sense in making a promise if you don't intend on keeping it."

"Well now that I've found the right partner," Steve said leaning his forehead against hers. "I have no intention of losing her."

Their lips touched softly, Bethany smiling into it. While she wasn't completely guilt-free, her conscious suddenly very heavy, she knew that Steve was telling the truth. And a part of her wanted to be with him. A _big _part. But fear weighed heavily on her mind. It wasn't Steve. It was _her_. Each broken heart she suffered made her distrust relationships altogether. Jason _destroyed_ her completely. He made her fear commitment. And what Steve was saying, about dancing and the future… it was clear that he wanted this to be it. He wanted a lasting relationship, and that was terrifying.

Her fear shrunk slightly with Steve's lips touching hers softly, however. It was as if he was the experienced one and not the other way around. She could _feel _his love pouring into her.

"Beth?" Steve asked against her lips. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

He could feel her smile against him, kissing him once more. "Yeah."

"And you know that I love you, right?"

Her lips opened to respond, Steve's nipping at hers softly before they heard the curtain open. Steve quickly jumped away from Bethany, standing tall and blushing hard as a Peggy Carter stood at the opening. "Goodness Bethany!" The agent cried. "I heard that a pole fell on your _foot_?" Bethany looked down at her bandaged foot quickly and then back up. She wore a look of 'what can you do?' on her face. "Well, are you alright?!"

Bethany nodded, letting out a sigh. "Obviously it's broken. But I'll make a full recovery. I was lucky."

"Yes," Peggy agreed, stepping closer. "Luck certainly _is _on your side. Captain?" She asked turning to Steve. "Colonel Phillips is looking for you. The transmissions have finally been unscrambled."

Steve nodded once before giving Bethany an apologetic smile. "I'll see you later."

Bethany gave him a small wave before he disappeared. "I need some crutches," Bethany mumbled mostly to herself.

"Not until you explain what I walked in on," Peggy demanded.

Bethany's heart dropped. She felt like she had just been caught taking the last cookie out from the jar. "I-"

"Oh, would you stop looking like I'm mad at you?" Peggy said with a roll of her eyes. "I'm happy for you. For him. It's nice to see that you've finally come to your senses though," Peggy shared, sitting down on the chair Steve had been in moment's before.

Bethany scratched the side of her face. "I-I guess I just needed time."

Peggy nodded, "Well, spill. When did this happen?"

"Last night," Bethany privileged her with.

"And how?"

Bethany shifted on the bed, pushing her curls behind her shoulders. "Tension finally snapped, I suppose. We kissed and I guess I realized just how addicting he is. It felt so… _right_. I didn't realize that I didn't feel safe until I was in his arms and everything just… fell into place, I suppose."

Peggy smiled softly. "So not love at first sight, but love at first kiss?"

"Lame," Bethany joked with a smile. "Oh, Peggy. It was like his lips and his whole being was shaped for me."

Peggy surveyed the girl quickly before frowning. "Then why do you look like you're on guard."

Bethany quirked an eyebrow. "Is it that obvious?"

"No," Peggy assured. "But I know you. Nothing is _that_ simple."

"No, it really isn't," she mumbled. "I just don't feel like I'm what he needs."

"Which is?" Peggy asked confused.

Bethany picked at nails for a second before sighing. "Not me. But he doesn't see it that way. And he's just so perfect in every way. I'm just so confused."

"'The course of love never did run smooth'," Peggy quoted. "Don't underestimate yourself Bethany. He's had an eye for you since before I can remember. Clearly there's more than one thing he likes."

_If only there was one thing about myself I liked_, a dark part of Bethany's mind said to her.

* * *

><p>Within the month every SSR member on the base knew about Steve and Bethany's relationship. While they weren't flaunting it, Steve didn't miss any opportunity to hold her hand or give her a quick peck. Throughout the weeks, Bethany's emotions settled down, but Steve could still sense there was something wrong.<p>

"Beth," Steve whispered against her neck as they laid together on the couch in Howard's office. It was the only place they could think of to hide where no one would come looking for them. "You've been oddly quiet this week."

She turned her head to him, giving him a tired smile. "I'm fine."

"Are you?" He asked, brushing away a stray curl. "Beth, if you aren't happy-"

"Hush," she told him, leaning in to kiss him. "I'm happy. I am Steve. Being in a relationship is just a really big step for me."

Steve smiled at her words, leaning his forehead against hers. "And I'm willing to give you as much room as you want. Just know that I love you." Her eyes fluttered closed as she leaned her head against his chest.

* * *

><p>"Stop!" Bethany laughed as Steve twirled her around. "Steve!"<p>

Chuckling, Steve stopped, but refused to put her feet—or more like foot since she was still faking an injury—on the ground. Placing lazy kisses over her face, he couldn't wipe the smile off his face. "I missed you."

"You were gone two days," Bethany said with a quirk of her eyebrow.

"Mmm," Steve moaned as he captured her lips. "Exactly."

"Do you have anywhere you need to be, Captain?" Bethany asked with a wicked gleam in her eyes.

Steve smirked and shook his head, "Not that I'm aware of, ma'am."

"Your room or mine?" She asked tracing the star of his suit. Steve switched his hold on her to carry her bridal style, moving to the wall where her crutches were leaning up against it. Bethany took the crutches in one hand while the other played with the hair on the nape of his neck, her movements sending tingles down his spine.

"My bed is bigger." Steve whispered, kissing the side of her face.

"Then lead the way, Captain."

Bethany had said she wanted to take things slow, and Steve had agreed willingly. He wanted to get the most out of their relationship. But what Bethany really meant was her not having to say those three words until she was absolutely sure they would come out with no regret. Sex was the beginning of their relationship, and Bethany made it clear that it was her favorite part. And Steve—well Steve couldn't really complain either.

But it wasn't their entire relationship. They went out with friends, made decisions together, held hands and kissed in public. Their relationship seemed to be backwards, but Bethany was comfortable. Steve was comfortable. And Bethany hadn't had a panic attack regarding their relationship in two weeks.

Sneaking down the halls, Steve wanted to conserve Bethany's non-existent virtue as best he could. As soon as his door closed behind him, Bethany threw her crutches down and jumped out of Steve's arms. She hissed as she put pressure on her foot which had barely moved in a month and a half.

"I can't wait until I can get rid of those things," Bethany said gesturing to the crutches.

"I can't wait to get rid of_ these _things," Steve said confidently, pulling at her deep red cotton dress.

Bethany's mouth fell open in a smile. "Who are you and _what_ have you done with my innocent Steve Rogers?"

"Yours, huh?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

Bethany sauntered over to the bed, shaking her head. "No, seriously. All this confidence."

He quickly followed and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her back against his chest. "I figured I would take a chance. Break out of the shell."

Bethany's arms circled behind him, cupping Steve's taunt behind. Giving it a quick squeeze, she could feel his arousal up against her. Despite the fact that Bethany took charge in so much in her life, after that first time, she let Steve be the driving force. He had memorized every part of her body. He found everything that drove her crazy. He knew her better than anyone else ever did. He took the time no one had ever taken before.

He held back a moan as her fingers lightly dug into the material of his suit. "Oh Lord, I love you…" he said softly before kissing her neck.

* * *

><p>"I know you do," Steve said in the darkness of his room. "Even if you don't say it."<p>

Bethany was tracing shapes on his stomach, most of which, Steve noticed, were hearts. "If you know, why do I have to say it?"

Steve sighed lightly, taking her hand in his. "It's a nice reassurance, Beth. It's _three _words."

Bethany sat up, pulling some of the sheet with her to cover her body. "But it's not just any three words, Steve. It-it's just really hard for me. Last time I said them, it ruined me."

Steve pulled his body up slightly, leaning on his forearm. "You know I would never do that to you."

"Steve, you said I could take my time," Bethany pleaded. "It's barely been two months."

"I know," Steve whispered, leaning forward to kiss her shoulder. "I'm sorry. I'm trying, Bethany."

She leaned her head in, loosely wrapping her arms around his waist. Steve followed suit and they sat in the bed wrapped in only the sheets and each other. It was quiet, both of them very aware of their heartbeats. "If I could say it to only one person for the rest of my life though… I'd want it to be you."

Steve smiled, burying his head in her hair. "That's enough for me."

He felt Bethany's lips softly met his skin. "Ready for round...?"

Steve chuckled, realizing he too lost count of how many times they had made love that night. His recovery time made it possible for them to almost continually reach ecstasy. "I don't think I'll ever get tired of this."

Bethany gave a hum of agreement as his large hands roamed her back. "Theoretically," Bethany said with a chuckle in her voice. "I don't have the super speedy recovery time you do. I'm pretty exhausted."

Steve laid them down, moving to hover over her. "Well how about you just lie here, and I'll do all the work?"

Bethany's smile seemed to illuminate the room. "I like this idea."

Steve's cheeky little smile leaned down and began a series of kisses down her neck, over her chest. Bethany arched her back, smiling as his insanely full bottom lip dragged across her body, all of her senses alive and only focused on him.

_I love you Steve_, she thought as his lips captured the tip of her breast and giving it a sweet suckle. His fingers trailed down her body, finding her wet center. _I love you_, she repeated in her head, over and over again. _I love you_.

* * *

><p>"Happy birthday," Steve mumbled against her cheek after sneaking up on her.<p>

She turned in his embrace, smiling. "You're back."

His lips met hers lightly, smiling into the kiss. "HYDRA bastards couldn't keep me away today. And you'll be happy to know that the suit is in one piece."

Bethany's smile widened tenfold. "Good! I heard Phillips already has another mission for you. I wouldn't be able to enjoy my birthday if I had to fix it."

"Yes," he said against her lips. "We leave tomorrow. But until then, Howard said something about a party?"

Bethany raised an eyebrow, "Oh did he now?"

"I'm supposed to drag you away from here," Steve told her, his hands rubbing circles on her lower back. "Howard said you've been in here all day."

"I'm working," Bethany said, playing with his tie. "Someone has to fix everything you break."

Steve rolled his eyes before kissing her nose. "Time to take a break then. I want you to open your gift."

She tilted her head, his lips following the trail of her neck. "You got me something?"

"Well after the brilliant handpicked gift you got me for _my _birthday," he said sarcastically against her skin.

"It _was_ brilliant," Bethany said with a smirk remembering the record she bought him that played Star Spangled Man with a Plan on one side and the National Anthem on the next. "It _was_ the fourth of Jul- ohhhh." She let out as his teeth carefully dug into her skin. "If you don't have any intentions of finishing what you're starting, you better stop right now."

Steve chuckled as he pulled his head back up. "Come on, I want you to open your gift."

Bethany let out a slightly annoyed sigh before reaching for her crutches. "Lead the way."

Steve smiled, leading her to one of the boardrooms they were using as a party room. Bethany couldn't help but laugh when they all wished her happy birthday, the room impossibly full with people and food. "I didn't know I was so special," she whispered to Steve before settling down in a chair.

"Happy Birthday kid," Howard exclaimed, coming over to hug her.

"What cha get me?" She asked excitedly. "A new dress perhaps?"  
>"Not this year," Howard said pulling out a small square box. "Part one."<p>

"And part two," Steve said pulling out a similar box from his pocket. "Happy Birthday."

Bethany raised a curious eyebrow and opened Howard's box first, gasping at the diamond earring inside. She quickly opened Steve's to see its sister shining bright and true. "I love them," she said quietly.

"You always said you wanted a pair," Howard explained as Bethany took the first one out of the box and slipped it into her ear. "And you didn't want to buy them yourself. Steve and I figured we'd each get you one."

Bethany put the second one in, touching it carefully. "This is probably the best gift I've ever got," she admitted, leaning in to hug Howard before pulling Steve down and giving him a passionate kiss. "Thank you," she told him as he blushed heavily. They had yet to share sure a fervent kiss in public. Bucky had whistled and patted his back. But it seemed like Bethany didn't notice as she smiled at him, her eyes shining.

As people began to eat and drink and dance, Bethany and Steve sat in the corner, Bethany's legs on Steve's, both watching as couples swayed.

"How long until this thing is off?" Steve asked picking at the bandage on her foot.

Bethany sighed, leaning forward to push some hair out of his view. "The end of the week, I think. By the time you get back from the next mission, I promise. It hasn't been quite three months yet, but people lose track of time here."

Steve smiled, leaning to kiss her forehead. "Good. I really want to take you dancing."

"Oh, I know you do," Bethany said with a chuckle. "Take notes. I don't want you stepping on my feet."

Steve nervously turned to watch as Howard and Peggy twirled in perfect unison. "I forgot about that…"

Bethany giggled at the look on his face, pushing a stray curl away. "Don't worry, you'll do fine. I'll show you what to do."

Steve turned his view back to her, eyes shining in delight. "Promise?"

"Promise," Bethany vowed, taking hold of one of his hands and giving it a quick squeeze before their lips met in another kiss.

* * *

><p>"Stop it!" Peggy snapped at her. "You're ruining the perfect nail job I gave you."<p>

Bethany groaned, moving her fingers away from her lips. "They'll get ruined in the lab anyways."

"You need to relax," Peggy said as she poured her some more tea. "Steve's only been gone two days. And the update last night told us things were on track."

"I know," Bethany responded, but it didn't sound like this was reassuring her. "I'm not just worried about that though. I have some other things on my mind."

"Like?" The agent asked, leaning forward.

Bethany considered telling her, but decided against it. The last thing she needed was to admit her fears aloud. "One up-ing HYDRA."

Peggy accepted this as true and took a sip of her tea. "You and Howard have been doing your best, we all know that. Taking time away from Stark Industries to put your full effort in the war has been greatly appreciated. Any progress on the super soldier serum?"

Bethany dipped her finger in the tea, swirling it around. The brown liquid was cold, Bethany's lack of enthusiasm for Peggy's daily tea shining through. "I stopped around the same time Steve came. I figured he's doing a pretty good job just himself. And there's the fact that I know I won't be able to recreate it. I wish they'd stop expecting me to."

"Steve, Steve, Steve," Peggy said with a smirk. "I feel like you can't stop mentioning him."

"Everyone brings him up first," Bethany responded truthfully, her eyes heavy with exhaustion. She didn't sleep well when it was only her in the bed. She was cold, no matter how many pillows and blankets accompanied her.

Peggy quirked her eyebrow. "That may be true, but you two look happy."

"We are," Bethany said pushing her tea cup away. "Things are… good."

"But?" Peggy asked, sensing more.

Bethany ran her fingers through her hair. "I can't tell him how I feel about him. That I-I lo-" She groaned, knowing the words wouldn't be leaving her lips any day soon.

"That's quite a predicament," Peggy stated, pushing her chair out slightly. "Any idea why?"

"I'm settling on the fact that my last real relationship ended badly, and ever since then I've distanced myself away from it. Always working, one night stands. And now… I want too, Peggy. I just _can't_."

Peggy reached forward to give her hand a quick squeeze. "I'm sure it'll pass in time."

"It's so frustrating though," Bethany explained. "I can express my feelings in every way but words."

Peggy frowned for a second before a sly smile crossed her face. "Does that mean the good Captain is no longer pure, Miss. Stark?"

Bethany laughed, leaning back in her chair. "I'm not sure he wants me talking about it."

"Oh come on," Peggy moaned. "This is our gossip hour!"

Bethany bit the side of her lip. "I guess I can answer a few questions…"

"How was it?" Peggy immediately asked.

Bethany looked at the door, a glazed look over her eyes. "Absolutely amazing. He makes it all about me. It's a nice change to be on the receiving end. And even when I try to make it about him, he takes so much pleasure out of it all being about me."

Peggy smiled. "Sounds like Steve Rogers alright. And his body?"

"Peggy!" Bethany said shocked, but unable to keep her laughter at bay.

"I was there when he came out of that pod!" Peggy said putting her hands up. "Sue me for wanting to know."

Bethany rolled her eyes. "I think only Greek Heroic Gods have bodies like that. Everything is so… taunt and… and _big_."

"Reason number one why you should recreate the super soldier serum," Peggy said with a wink. "I need a super soldier to myself."

Bethany laughed wholeheartedly. "I make no promises," she said when her laughter died down. She felt her stomach rumble unpleasantly, her fingers going to her lips.

"You okay?" Peggy asked concerned.

Bethany nodded, taking in a deep breath. "I haven't ate all day. Too much stress."

"You should eat," Peggy insisted, pushing a tray of food over to her. "We need you healthy and strong and able. That foot should be better by the end of the week, right? No need to have you sick in a bed."

Bethany eyed the fruit, but the uneasiness in her stomach told her not to risk it. "I'll be fine when Steve comes back in one piece," she decided with a sigh.


	9. Chapter 9

****A/N: Super long author's note at the end of the chapter to explain myself for the things that happen in this chapter. **

Chapter Nine

Bethany took a deep breath in, trying to steady not only herself, but her emotions. She felt like someone had stuffed her into a crate, nailing the wood shut and forgetting about her completely. The air felt stale, her sense of space disoriented. Everyday the symptoms got worse and she finally found herself desperate for control.

She _loved_ control, maybe even more than she loved Howard or Steve. She _needed_ control in her life and here it was, slipping through her fingers. The worse thing was she was _letting_ it happen because she knew there was very little she could do to regain it.

Bethany laid her head against the cold metal of the tank brought in to be upgraded. Waking up that morning, Bethany was almost ill with the need to regain a little of control and quickly made her way to the tank which was in need of love and care. But even with the wrench in her hand, controlling the fate of the tank she couldn't help but feel lost.

Her body was itchy, sweaty and cramping with every breath, which by each second was getting shallower. Inside her chest, her heart was beating wildly, erratic and hard, causing intense nausea. Holding onto her stomach, she attempted to stop her shaking to no prevail. Not only was she losing control, but she was losing herself.

The wrench fell from her fingertips as the muscles in her fingers refused to cooperate and Bethany could feel herself choking on the air. Her body soon fell next to the wrench, her legs unable to hold her up any longer. Closing her eyes, shutting them tight, she tried to force the headache away. To force the constant fear out of her system.

"Bethany?" She heard suddenly, more like an echo than anything else. She was convinced she was hallucinating. Dreaming. Maybe this was all a nightmare. Maybe she'd wake up and she would be safe and sound in her room in California, Howard loudly tinkering in the main room, not caring about Bethany's sleep cycle. Maybe there would be no war, no death and no impending doom. Maybe, just maybe, she'd be fourteen-year-old Bethany Stark with a bow in her hair, as innocent as innocent could be. No heartbreaks and only hopeful thoughts towards love.

"Bethany," the voice came again, clearer this time. Closer. _Please let me be dreaming_, she begged. _I just want to be a kid again_. _Don't make me grow up. Don't make me take this step. Please, don't._

_Please._

* * *

><p>Howard found Bethany on the floor of the lab, curled into a tight ball, eyes closed tight and crying "please, don't, please, don't" over and over with every sob. She was completely gone.<p>

"Bethany?" He asked, moving closer to her, not sure whether approaching her—no matter how much he wanted to—was the best idea. When her cries only intensified, he took the final step, bending to her level and taking a tight hold of her. "Bethany," he called out, shaking her.

Snapping her eyes open, she covered her mouth like she was ashamed of herself. Ashamed that he had found her like this. "Beth?" he asked slowly, taking in every little tremor. "What's wrong?"

"I'm gonna be sick," he heard her say before Bethany found the strength to jump up from his arms and run to the bathroom, leaving Howard shocked on the floor. He wanted to follow her. She clearly _wasn't_ okay. And more than that, she needed help.

Steve had been gone for a week and a half, and while the reports were always good, Howard was worried for his sister. She continually insisted that his absence wasn't worrying her, but something clearly was. Her anxiety had become so evident that he was walking a fine line on whether harassing her would help or just make things worse. He just needed the Captain back so he didn't have to be burden with this by himself.

Getting up from his place on the floor, Howard shoved his hands in his pockets. He missed the days where it was women, alcohol and machines. That was it, and that was all it had to be. Bethany had taken care of herself and more importantly, took care of him. They had kept each other sane in a world that was definitely becoming _in_sane.

Howard took in a deep breath. There was the very real possibility that she was stir crazy. Another was sick with worry. A panic attack seemed to be the most plausible explanation. "Steve, where are you?" Howard mumbled to himself before walking to his desk. The pile of papers on it called to his immediate attention. It _killed_ him that he had to put Bethany second but there were thousands of men depending on him.

_I need a vacation,_ he thought. No place sounded better than home, which, when he thought about it, hadn't been home in almost four years. They had travelled across America, not only to promote Stark Industries, but to aid Dr. Erskine in any way they could. As soon as America joined the war efforts after Pearl Harbor, Howard promised that Stark Industries would supply weapons and transports, making any lab provided for him home.

It was a very sad reality that in a matter of a few years, home began just a building in California. The wallpaper was probably peeling, the pool water murky. Sure, there were caretakers to make sure the house was in order, but without Bethany waltzing around the halls like a knucklehead, Howard couldn't think of the house as cheerful.

"What the hell have we gotten ourselves into?" Howard asked the stack of paper in front of him. This war was waging on too long. It needed to end, and soon.

* * *

><p>Steve was exhausted, something that didn't come easy to him. But he knew that if he was tired, so was his team. It was time to go home.<p>

With the mission done, they had packed up their gear and were on their way back to the base. _When did the base become home?_ He asked himself as he tapped his fingers against his shield. While part of Steve longed for the streets of Brooklyn, he knew that, _yes_, the base was home. He had Bucky and Bethany, Howard and Peggy, his team. _His family_. When the war ended, they would all return to their homes, many across the country, some across an ocean from him.

Nonetheless, Steve was ready for the war to end. He was tired of seeing causality lists and more importantly, the victims of war. While in a lot of ways, he felt the war he was fighting was different than the rest of the world, he knew that he needed to bring Schmidt and HYDRA down in order to get to the Nazis and Hitler. Whatever happened after would happen, and he would have to deal with that.

"You okay?" Bucky asked quietly, snapping Steve's attention away from the star on his shield.

"Just thinking," Steve admitted. "Ever wonder what happens after this?"

"Yeah," Bucky said shifting in his seat a little. "We go home. The world is at peace again, safe to raise a family."

Steve nodded, but sighed. "I guess it'll just be weird."

"Not being Captain America anymore?" Bucky asked with a rise of his eyebrows. "You'll always be the icon Steve."

"It's not just that," Steve whispered. Yes, he wasn't sure how he would adjust to normalcy again after all the adventure in his life, but he knew that normalcy was better than the hell that surrounded them now.

"Bethany?" Bucky questioned.

"There's her too," Steve confirmed. "I can't expect her to just follow us to Brooklyn, can I?"

"Follow her to California," Bucky suggested. "And you never know. She did grow up in New York, didn't she? Wasn't California Howard's idea?"

Steve shook his head. "It's not just that, Bucky. It's… It's that we're in the perfect place right now. We're both working, and working together. There's no outside factors pulling us apart. The war ends, she'll go back to working for Stark Industries. Maybe try and finish getting her doctoral degree. I don't know, but I know she won't slow down. Not anytime soon."

_"About a minute from the base,"_ the pilot called out.

Steve sighed, and raised up his hand in a matter to say 'forget about it'. "I haven't really thought about it. It just occurred to me now."

"Talk to her," Bucky concluded.

As the soldiers walked onto the base, Steve met up with Colonel Phillips, saluting him politely. "I trust everything went as planned, Rogers?"

"Yes sir," Steve responded. "No major injuries. We were able to destroy the factory, but Schmidt escaped again."

"Of course he did," Phillips said. "He's a coward and runs. But one day he'll run out of places to hide and we'll be there to get him."

"Yes sir," Steve said with a bow of his head.

"Welcome back, Rogers." Howard said from behind. "Colonel, can I steal him for a second?"

Phillips grudgingly agreed, stalking over to get Bucky's account of the mission. "What's wrong?" Steve asked, sensing Howard's uneasiness.

"What do you think?" Howard asked easily.

"Bethany," Steve breathed out. "Is she okay?"

Howard scratched the side of his head. "Last time I saw, she was okay. But she had a full blown out freak out this morning. Ran out claiming she was going to be sick. I wouldn't say anything to her, I'm just warning you. Something is going on with her. Mentally, I mean."

Steve frowned, looking around the bay, expecting to see her somewhere, but coming up blank. "Like depression?"

"Maybe," Howard answered, worry lacing the word. "All I know is that her anxiety is dangerously high right now."

"Hey!" They heard from across the bay. "Look who's off crutches!" The two men turned to where Dum Dum had stated the fact about a non-crippled Bethany. "'Bout time."

Howard and Steve shared a quick look before Steve began over to where Bethany was talking with Dum Dum. He had to admit it, she didn't look good. She seemed pale, and even a few feet away, he could see the bags under her eyes, but he knew that was probably because she couldn't sleep well when he was gone. Part of him believed it was because she was worried, but he knew that it was mostly because of the lack of body heat next to her. If it was possible, she was skinnier too. It had only been a week and a half, but she looked like a completely different person.

"It looks _perfect_," Dum Dum noted as Bethany took off her heel to show him her bare foot.

"I'm lucky," Bethany told him, her voice lacking a lot of emotion.

Walking up beside her, he touched her arm, catching her attention. "Hi," he said with a small smile.

"Welcome back," Bethany said quietly, moving in to hug him. Her face was pressed against his chest, and he tried not to let it faze him that she hadn't thrown her arms around his neck for a passionate kiss like she usually did. He had been gone longer than usual. "Still in one piece?"

"I am," Steve told her, holding her tight. She was shaking a little, but she was doing a really good job of keeping her accompanying emotions controlled. "How are you?"

"In perfect condition," Dum Dum spoke from beside them. Bethany went to pull away, but Steve only allowed her to slip away a little, keeping one arm wrapped around her. "Look at her."

Steve looked back to Bethany and wondered if her ill features were only present to him because he knew. "Perfect is a stretch," Bethany insisted.

"I don't think so," Steve said lovingly before kissing her forehead.

Dum Dum rolled his eyes, but smiled at Bethany. "Comin' out with us to celebrate tonight? Finally give Cap that dance?"

Bethany looked up to Steve, looking a little guilty. "I actually have something I have to do tonight."

"Oh," Steve said, trying not to sound too disappointed. "That's okay. Another time."

She gave him a small smile and nodded. "Right. I promised, remember?"

Steve chuckled. "And I have every intention of holding you to it."

"Excuse me," A female voice from behind came. The group turned to see Private Lorraine standing there with her arms behind her back. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I need to steal Miss. Stark for a moment."

"Everything okay?" Steve asked he let his arm slide away from her waist.

Bethany gave him a wavering smile. "Just some information I requested. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

Steve didn't have time to respond as Bethany and Lorraine quickly ran off. He had been gone for almost two weeks and she was acting like she had just seen him. Even then, she usually greeted him with more affection than that, even if it had been less than an hour. "Did that seem… weird to you?" Dum Dum asked.

Steve rubbed the back of his neck, furrowing his brows a little. "Glad you think so too…"

* * *

><p>Bethany held the piece of paper Lorraine had given her tightly in her hands. <em>"Are you sure you want to do this?"<em> Lorraine had asked her. Bethany had only given her an envelope with three hundred dollars inside and asked for reassurance that this would never reach anyone else.

_"Your secret is safe with me, Stark_," Lorraine had said as if she was bored. Now Bethany stood at the address Lorraine had given her, her money tucked into her bra securely. She had to sneak off the base, which was not an easy task. Luckily for her, she had money on her side.

Knocking on the old, dirty door, Bethany stuffed the paper into her coat pocket. Slowly, the door opened to reveal a middle-aged, long haired man. His teeth were stained yellow and he smelled heavily of cigarettes. Instantly, Bethany didn't like him. _That doesn't matter, _a voice instantly told her as she took her money out from her dress, handing it to the man. _You're here for a reason and his smell isn't going to change your mind_.

"Come in," the man said with a heavy accent that Bethany couldn't determine. The inside of his house, or office, or whatever it was, was just as gross as the man in question. Smoke seemed to swirl around the room even as no buds were lit and the furniture looked like they were well past their prime. As she stepped in, she watched as a black and white cat jumped from the ground to a chair, stretching out its legs.

Standing tall and strong, Bethany waited for further instructions. She was getting her life back on track, and if this was how she was going to do it, then so be it. It needed to be done, and no one, especially not Steve Rogers, would ever convince her differently.

* * *

><p>The loud hurried banging on Steve's door was enough for him to forget shoes completely as he bounded out of bed and to the door. Throwing it opened, he frowned slightly at the image of a very frazzled Peggy Carter.<p>

"Peggy?" He asked, rubbing his eyes slightly.

"You need to come with me," Peggy insisted, pulling him out of his room and down the hall.

"Wait, wha-?" Steve questioned as her hold on his wrist got tight. "Stop a second," He demanded, halting in his place. "What's wrong?"

Peggy sighed, letting go of his wrist. "I found Bethany unconscious by her door a few minutes ago, in a pool of blood."

Steve's face dropped, instantly marching towards the infirmary without the assistance of Peggy. "Do you know what happened?"

Peggy struggled to match to his pace. "She was still out of it when Howard took her to the infirmary."

Steve felt confusion swarm him. She couldn't get hurt, couldn't get drunk. There was no reason that she should be passed out in a pool of blood unless something was _wrong_.

"Down here," Peggy led as they made it to the room full of hospital beds, flimsy white sheets separating the sick and injured.

As they reached Bethany's makeshift room, Steve pulled apart the curtain to see Bethany on the bed—still unconscious—Howard on one side holding her hand and a doctor on the other side, listening to her heartbeat.

"You can't be in here, Captain Rogers," the doctor tried.

"Like hell I can't," Steve answered before walking up beside Howard and touching Bethany's face softly.

"Its okay, Dr. Asgrow," Howard replied.

"What happened?" Steve asked, watching as Bethany's eyelashes fluttered slightly in her sleep.

"No idea," Howard said quietly. "But Dr. Asgrow says he can't find anything wrong."

"Thank God," Peggy said from the foot of the bed.

Steve and Howard shared a worried look, both trying to sort out what exactly happened to Bethany. It made sense that she was fine, since she would heal. But the fact that she was still unconscious was worrying.

Bethany let out a low tired moan before smacking her lips together like she usually did when she was waking up. Carefully opening her eyes, she jolted up at the sight around her, only to hiss in pain and settle back down.

"Beth?" Howard asked, worry etched into his features. "You okay?"

She reached up to the side of her head, closing her eyes tight before nodding. "Yeah."

"Miss. Stark?" Dr. Asgrow spoke up. "Do you know where you are?"

Bethany opened her eyes to survey the room. "The infirmary."

"Good," Dr. Asgrow responded. "Do you remember what happened?"

Bethany took in a deep breath, lost in thought. Her gaze fell to her fingers which were neatly folded on her stomach. Her eyes seemed to glaze over slightly before she nodded. "I was going back to my room, and I felt dizzy. I guess I fell and hit my head."

"She hasn't been eating properly, Doctor," Peggy shared. "For almost two weeks now. That could have been why she fell unconscious."

"Very likely," the doctor agreed. "Especially since you, Miss. Stark, appear to be completely healthy. What you need is plenty of rest and food."

"I can assure you," Howard said standing up straight. "I'll make sure she doesn't leave this bed until you say so."

The doctor nodded before excusing himself and leaving. "You alright?" Steve asked, brushing away some silky blond strands.

Bethany closed her eyes and nodded. "I am now."

"Can I get you anything?" Peggy asked. "Some food or water?"

"Just a change of clothes would be nice," Bethany asked, opening her eyes a little. Steve noticed that it was mostly her skirt which was soaked in blood, some stray lines on her hands and wrists, but nothing on her head.

Peggy gave a tight lipped smile and exited the makeshift room just as the doctor had. Howard moved over to close the curtains before standing with his hands on his hips. "What really happened, Beth?"

She sat up a little in her bed to narrow her eyes, wincing a little and pressing a hand to her stomach. "I just told you what happened-"

"And I don't believe it," Howard interrupted. "Peggy found you in a pool of blood. It all couldn't have come from you hitting your head. There's no blood on your face either, only on your skirt."

"Did someone attack you?" Steve asked, taking her hand, afraid of what her answer would be. He was jumping to the very worse conclusion, that a man had tried to, or even succeeded in forcing himself on her.

"No," Bethany said with annoyance. "I fell. That's the end of the story. Whether you chose to believe it is up to you, but that's all I remember."

Howard rolled his eyes, rolling up his sleeves. "Fine. What do you want to eat?"

"I'm not hungry," Bethany insisted, crossing her arms, her hand slipping from Steve's.

"I don't care," Howard almost yelled. "What. Do. You. Want. To. Eat?"

Bethany scowled. "Just bread for now."

Howard nodded, giving Bethany's foot a quick squeeze. "Make sure she doesn't sneak out, Steve."

Steve nodded as Howard left, leaving only him and Bethany. "You scared the living daylights out of me," he admitted with a small smile, taking her hand once more.

Bethany gave him a small smile, but avoided his gaze. "I'm fine. You heard, Dr. Asgrow. Eating and sleeping hasn't been my top priority lately. I've been busy."

"You still need to take care of yourself," Steve reminded her. "You may be invincible, but you still suffer."

"I'm not invincible," was her mumbled response before slinking down the bed and getting comfortable. "I know my limits."

Steve watched as she closed her eyes and steadied her breathing. _I don't think you do,_ Steve responded silently.

* * *

><p>A meeting requiring Steve, Howard and Peggy's attendance left Bucky to watch over Bethany. While Bethany insisted she didn't need a babysitter and that all she wanted to do was sleep, they all agreed that she wasn't caring for herself properly and they needed to intervene.<p>

Bucky had stopped by the kitchen to pick up some bananas, Bethany's favorite, before making his way to the infirmary. He knew very little about anything, but as Steve stopped him in the hallway and begged him to watch over Bethany, Bucky had no choice but to say yes. The worry on Steve's face would have been clear miles away. All he really knew was that Bethany had passed out from lack of food and sleep.

Both of those seemed odd to Bucky. He had never met a girl who loved to eat more than Bethany did. And she barely made it out of her room before noon if someone didn't drag her out first. The girl lived in the luxury of eat, sleep, repeat. But he had to admit it, there was something different about her.

He first noticed it on her birthday. She picked at her food instead of inhaling it, declined Bucky's challenge to see who could drink more and spent the majority of the night in a corner, spectating. She hadn't been fun, but he let it slip since it was her birthday.

The night before, Steve had told him that Bethany seemed to lack her usual flair. At the time, Bucky brushed it off. They were all losing themselves a little. The war was draining everyone, and while Bethany wasn't on the front lines, she had the stress of keeping the men with the best technology she could.

Counting the makeshift rooms, Bucky stopped at the thirteenth one where Bethany was supposed to be resting. He went to pull the sheet away when he heard two voices conversing quietly, both with urgency in their tones.

The first voice, Bucky immediately recognized as Bethany's. "Look, it's done now."

"I still think you should've told him," came the second voice. Bucky frowned and tried to peak through the crack of the curtains to see, but all he saw was a head of blonde curls sitting by Bethany. "You're just going to keep it a secret, then?"

"Yes," Bethany responded. "That's been the plan since the beginning. He doesn't need to know."

"I'm sure he'll think differently," the second voice said.

"I paid you three hundred dollars to keep quiet," Bethany stated. "You better not tell anyone."

"With or without my help, your secret is going to come out eventually," the other voice said.

"Please leave," was Bethany's final response. Bucky looked alarmed, knowing full well that he shouldn't have heard the conversation. As quickly and quietly as he could, he snuck away from the infirmary, not full registering what he was doing until he got there. Sliding down the wall outside Colonel Phillips' office, he waited for Steve to come out.

* * *

><p>"Well, I did find this in her pocket," Peggy said pulling out a piece of paper. "It was in her jacket."<p>

As soon as the meeting in Phillips' office was done, Bucky immediately told his friends what he had heard. No one missed the way Steve's jaw clenched, every bad thought immediately coming to his mind. Howard took the paper as the four of them huddled into a corner. "I don't know this address. It's not Beth's handwriting though."

"No," Peggy agreed. "It's Private Lorraine's."

"_That's_ who was there!" Bucky said, happy he finally figured out the curly headed blonde's identity.

Steve crossed his arms, "What do you think this means?"

"Should we confront her?" Peggy asked, pushing some hair out of her face.

"Nah," Howard said, studying the address on the paper again. "She'll just deny it. I say we go to this place."

"I don't know," Steve started, unsure about invading Bethany's privacy.

"Cap, she could be getting herself into some dangerous stuff," Howard convinced. "Not going would only make matters worse."

"If we're going to go, we need to leave now," responded Peggy. "The doors close in two hours, and whoever's address this is could be long gone by now."

Steve rubbed the side of his face, still not liking the idea of invading Bethany's privacy. The last time she tried to lie to him was the day she got shot and ended up coming clean anyways. If she wanted him to know, she would've told him. It was clearly something she wanted to be a secret.

"Rogers, are you coming or not?" Howard asked annoyed.

But then again, there _was_ something wrong with her and just letting whatever it was go on wasn't going to help matters. Doing this wasn't invading her privacy per se, but being responsible friends.

"Let's go," Steve finally decided, knowing that his stubborn girlfriend would do the same if they switched positions.

* * *

><p>The address that they arrived at had a bad air to it. The neighborhood was severely low-classed, not to mention quite empty. Many of the windows and doors were boarded up, garbage cans on their side, street animals camping within them.<p>

"Well this isn't promising," Bucky said as Peggy knocked on the door. Peggy gave him a look that clearly read 'shut up or I'll make you'. If they were in any other circumstance, Howard would've laughed.

The door slowly opened to a middle-aged man, whose hair was just as long as Peggy's. She gave a small cough as the cigarette smell that seemed to pour not only from him, but the room behind him, attacked her. "Hello," she spoke as professionally as she could.

"Come on in," the man said plainly, revealing his rotting and yellowed teeth. Peggy gave the three men behind her a look for reassurance before taking a step in. "The room is back there, sweetheart. I'll be there in a minute."

Peggy looked gravely alarmed, but Howard gestured his head for her to go, hopefully sending her the signal that the three men would protect her if things got out of hand. The agent sighed before heading in the direction of the room.

Steve, Howard and Bucky hung around the entrance, watching as the man picked up a black and white cat and placed it in a small crate. "So, whose is it?" The man asked, his accent a mix of many. "Or do you not know, and that's why you're here?"

The men all shared a look, trying to sort out his meaning. _So, whose is it? Or do you not know, and that's why you're here?_ The words echoed through Steve's skull as the meaning sunk in.

_No,_ he told himself. _It-it can't… she couldn't. Could she…?_ He felt glued to his place as his heart sunk, as nausea took over and the immediate urge to strangle the man overtook him. _You alright?_ He had asked. _I am now_, she responded, as if a weight had been lifted off of her.

_Peggy found you in a pool of blood. It all couldn't have come from you hitting you head, _Howard's voice bounced around. He felt as if someone had taken a hammer and broke every bone in his body and then proceeded to glue them back together. Unstable. Completely unhinged from everything. His stomach twisted horribly, almost as if they were being compacted together.

_She hasn't been eating properly, Doctor, _Peggy's words joined in the swirling of his head.

He could feel acid build up in his throat as his head pounded. So many emotions were crowding him, he could barely see straight. He could faintly hear Howard asking if he was alright, but all he heard was s_he_ _had a full blown out freak out this morning. Ran out claiming she was going to be sick…_

How, _how_ had he missed it? How had everyone missed it? The signs were there. And through all their time as a couple, their passionate endeavors had never been postponed because of her cycle. And oh, the guilty look on her face when she said she had plans that night. It wasn't guilt because she was missing out on their dance.

It was guilt because she was pregnant. And arranged it so she wouldn't be.

* * *

><p>Bethany picked at her fruit, unable to actually eat it. She figured that her morning sickness would be gone by now, but whatever lingering hormones she had with the pregnancy clearly weren't out of her system yet. Putting the plate aside, she picked up her copy of <em>Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man <em>and tried to steady her thoughts on the page.

It wasn't easy. At first, Bethany blamed the story. She really wasn't into it. While in some ways, in a _lot_ of ways, she related to Stephen Dedalus and she didn't want to. A religious boy who gave into sexuality and was now plagued with guilt because of it. _Yeah, sounds like me alright_.

Except she wasn't guilty about the sex. If there was a hell, and she wasn't sure there was, it was probably saved for extra evil people like Hitler and Schmidt. Not her. Not anyone who gave into the acts of pleasure. Why was it such a bad thing?

No, she was guilty with the outcome of sex. She had been so careful through the years and what bothered her even more was that she knew that Steve's sperm were just as strong as he was. She had readily _warned _him. Even with the use of a rubber, Steve's sperm had a higher chance of breaking through than an average man's. And she had never questioned about whether the condom had stayed intact, and Steve never seemed to notice. She had never felt so idiotic before.

If she was going to go to hell for anything, it was for terminating the pregnancy. She knew that. And somehow, she was okay with it. There was something about regaining control of her life that felt liberating. She refused to think of it in any other way but regaining control.

She wasn't ready to be a mother. She could barely commit to Steve as it was. There was no doubt in her mind that it would've ended badly for everyone if Bethany had given birth. She would be the one forced to give up her job and raise a kid, which she was certain she wouldn't do a very good job of. Chocolate for breakfast, chocolate for lunch, chocolate for dinner. Bethany would drink, and still go out to clubs and not want to give up her current lifestyle. She would be forced to be the caretaker while Steve was out making a difference in the world.

Steve would have made a good parent, something Bethany briefly thought about when she first discovered her pregnancy. He would make sure the kid ate healthy, went to bed on time and became a good person. He would teach them to tie their shoes and count to ten. But there was the very fact that he was _Captain America_ and Bethany could never ask him to give something like that up. He needed it and the world needed him. It just wouldn't have worked out.

She flipped the page, forcing herself to enjoy the book, only now noticing that she wasn't the only person in the room. Looking up, she saw Steve standing at the parting of the curtain, staring at her long and hard.

"Hi," She let out cautiously, sensing his foul mood. He said nothing, but took a couple steps forward, standing now at the end of her bed. "Steve?"

"Why?" He asked so low, so full of anger that she almost didn't believe it was him. Putting her book next to her fruit, she frowned.

"Why what?"

"I know what you did," Steve said, his voice catching in the middle. He held out his hand and dropped a piece of paper onto her foot. Bethany reached over and picked it up.

Immediately, she rolled the paper into a ball. "Steve-"

"No." He spoke hard. "Nothing you say is going to fix this Bethany. How-how could you?"

She cringed, not at his voice, but at his appearance. His back seemed to hunch over in a way it never had before, like there were weights on his shoulders. His eyes were red, from holding back his tears or just having been crying, she wasn't sure. His hand went to his face, resting right under his nose where it was now clear, he was holding back his tears.

Bethany let out a deep breath of air. She didn't want him to find out, the exact reason she didn't tell him. She didn't want to break his heart, not if she didn't have to. "You wouldn't understand," she settled on.

He laughed. He actually _laughed_. But the way he clenched his jaw and tightened his hands into a fist indicated that he was anything but amused. "You didn't even _tell _me! You didn't give me the _chance!_ Dammit Bethany! You didn't think I had the _right_ to know you were pregnant?!"

"Keep your voice down!" She yelled sternly to him.

"The hell I will!" He said as he leaned down, his hands resting beside her feet. "You can't just make decisions like that!"

"Yeah?" Bethany asked, crossing her legs. "I did. Okay? And I don't regret it."

Steve's eyes closed slowly, a stray tear falling down his face. "How could you say that?"

"It wouldn't have worked, Steve," she tried again, trying her best to spare his feelings but now knowing that it would make no difference. Now, it came to making sure that her own heart didn't get broken.

"We could've made it," Steve whispered, looking to her, shaking his head slightly. "We could've made it work."

Bethany scoffed. "I didn't _want_ it to work. I want freedom, and to come home as late as I please. To work and only have to worry about myself. I don't want a husband or kids. I want _control_."

Standing up straight, Steve ran his hand through his hair, frustrated. "What I want wasn't important?"

"We both couldn't win," Bethany stated. "It's my body. My decision."

Steve shook his hand, pointing his finger at her. "A decision that you shouldn't have made by yourself. I just… I can barely look at you right now."

He turned his face away from her, holding his head in his hands. Bethany wanted to feel something, but she was just so grateful about her control of power, she couldn't focus on anything else. "I warned you something like this would happen."

Steve's back muscles tensed. She didn't directly say that this exact situation would happen, but she did warn him of her faults. She had told him she wasn't perfect, that she wasn't ready for a commitment. That she would try, but it needed to be on her terms. He had agreed. All he wanted was to be with her, for her to be with him.

He told her this, voice cracking. Tears were streaming down his face now, and while she couldn't see them, it was clear in the way his breath was labored. Bethany uncrossed her legs and stretched them out. "I guess you were waiting on a broken heart, then. I have nothing more to offer you."

Giving Bethany one last look, this one full of heartbreak, Steve turned and left.

And Bethany felt free.

* * *

><p><strong>**AN: The word 'abortion' actually makes my toes curl. I hate it, therefore I didn't use it. The topic is such a touchy one to so many people, but I'm about to plea to you, my amazing readers, why I added this to Bethany and Steve's story.**

**1) Because I wanted Future Bethany to be hard headed and cold. In order for that to happen, I needed a driving force. This seemed like a good one.**

**2) I needed a way to break up Steve and Bethany to the point where when Steve became unfrozen, he would have to learn to trust Bethany as well as the rest of the world. Originally they were just going to sleep together and then Bethany would tell Steve it was all a big mistake and not talk to him anymore, but I wanted something that Steve thought was unforgivable. This is pretty unforgivable if you ask me.**

**3) I'm still under the impression he would have Super Sperm on account of the Super Soldier Serum. Bethany getting pregnant was something I debated for a long time, but I knew that in my heart of hearts, it would happen.**

**4) Steve has viewed Bethany as an angel, this perfect human being since the beginning. She's not. Personally, I think characters that are as sweet as can be are really unrealistic. You as readers can see that. She's flawed. I needed something for Steve to realize "oh, maybe she isn't the picture of perfection, the sweetest, most caring person in the world".**

**5) At the beginning, Future Bethany says that seventy years had turned her into a killing machine. I figured that through her years of killing, the first one, no matter what it was, would be remembered. Having it be something like her and Steve's child would and _will_** **haunt her. (Yes, it seems like she doesn't care, but SPOILER, she does.)**

**I personally think abortion is awful, no matter what the circumstances, however I would never judge someone for doing so. Clearly, they believe it's what was best for them (as Bethany believed) and even if I think it's selfish in certain circumstances, I cannot judge someone for something I've never experienced.**

**The main point is, the Bethany in the 21st century is not the Bethany from the World of Tomorrow Expo. By re-reading chapter 1, you can clearly see this. Future Bethany is almost completely careless about everything except getting the job done. Her choosing to abort her pregnancy, the loss of Steve's friendship (not to mention Steve), the eventual death of her brother, her non-aging, the field missions SHIELD assigns her on and the assassin title she holds are all related, for they all lead to each other.**

**And in case you haven't noticed… she has… what's the word? Oh, commitment issues. She loves Steve, but can't tell him. Being committed to someone is, in the mind of Bethany Stark, like being a slave to someone. She doesn't feel free. Yes, Steve made her happy but like I've said. She's a very complex individual. Who is _clearly_** **losing grip of reality.**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

The next week, Bucky died.

Bethany didn't really know what to do with the knowledge, so she just went on tinkering. She really hated herself for not crying, not being upset, not wanting to see if Steve was okay, but she knew that she didn't _want_ to feel anything. Feeling would only aid in losing control. It was, however, hard to see Steve. She had never seen anyone so utterly… _broken_.

Howard had sat down and had a long chat with Bethany after he found out about her pregnancy. She wasn't sure whether he would be mad or okay with it, but he reassured her that he loved her no matter what and that he understood why she did it. If he was in her shoes, he probably would've done the same thing. They just weren't ready to be parents. And they both knew it.

Peggy, however, was more than a little cold to her. Bethany brushed it off, only talking to Peggy when she had too. The agent could think whatever she wanted but deep down Bethany knew the hardheaded agent wouldn't be able to give up her job right then and there. She probably would've done the same thing, or at least have considered it.

Bucky hadn't said a word to her, but did offer her small smiles when they passed each other. He knew, especially after their talk in the hot springs, that Bethany wasn't ready for commitment. He understood to a point, but it still was his best friend who got hurt, and for that he couldn't just pretend everything was okay. Bucky had been hurting for Steve, and in a way, hated Bethany for what she did to him. But Bucky had also been one of the few to actually remember that Bethany wasn't herself. There was still something wrong.

Steve hadn't said a word to her.

Unable to sleep, Bethany got out of bed and went to Howard's private stash of liquor in his office. Tip-toeing into the dark room, Bethany reached for a bottle of gin only to realize she wasn't the only one with a late night craving.

"Can't sleep?" Came the croaky, familiar voice. Bethany watched as Steve tipped the clear liquid from his bottle down his throat. He made a face as the bottle became empty.

Bethany looked at him plainly, taking in the rugged features he was sporting. It looked like he hadn't shaved in days. It was a good look for him, but so out of place from his clean cut all-American image that if Bethany didn't know better, she'd say he was drunk. His eyes were so bloodshot, Bethany knew he was in Howard's office for more than just a drink, but a hideout.

"You look like shit," Bethany said automatically.

Steve lazily got up from his position on the floor. "Wouldn't you say I have reason? My best friend dies that same month my child dies?"

"You can't mourn something you never knew," Bethany answered, popping the top of the gin off and offering it to him.

Steve took it, downing half of it in a second. He didn't let the burn affect him as he let out a dry laugh. "I can mourn _us_. I can mourn you. _You_. _You_ aren't the same."

"Maybe you just never knew me," Bethany said strongly.

Steve shook his head. "No, I did. I _do_. Something happened, and you turned… heartless."

"It's called losing control. I didn't like it-"

"No, of course you didn't," Steve said saluting the bottle to her, with a mocking smile on his face. "Because you got everything you wanted and when you got too much…" He drifted off, turning his back to her. "I guess I was wrong."

"About?" Bethany asked, leaning against Howard's desk.

He turned his head only to look at her. "You not being like Jason."

Bethany bowed her head slightly, that piercing her heart. "I guess I deserve that one," she allowed.

"Yeah," Steve said, anger dripping from the word. "I don't know what hurts more. The fact that you did it, or that you didn't tell me."

"I'm sorry," she told him, pushing up off the desk, deciding that a night cap was not going to solve her insomnia.

"No, you're not," Steve said wrinkling his face, watching as she made her way to the door. "You're _proud _of yourself."

Leaning against the doorframe, she watched as he kicked an empty bottle to the wall, it smashing into a million little crystal pieces. "_Proud_? No. Steve, I know what I did was wrong. But knowing it was wrong doesn't change the fact that I don't regret it. You may not see it now, may never see it, but I'm not _completely _heartless."

"Really?" Steve asked, not feeling convinced.

"I'm sorry that I had to do it. I'm sorry you found out…. I'm sorry about Bucky," she added as an afterthought. Her words were true. She was sorry that she had to do what she did, and she honestly didn't want him to ever find out. She would have been content never telling him, being more careful in the future and seeing where their relationship would go. But more importantly, she was sorry about Bucky. She had no hand in his death, but she knew how much the man meant to Steve.

Steve's face became softer at the mention of his friend. "You know what one of the last things he told me was? That we're both fools for not seeing each other's perspectives. For me not to completely throw you away from my life. That…" he took in a ragged breath. "That I was still in love you with."

Silence filled the room as the words settled in. Bethany's eyes drifted to her feet, looking at the new pair of combat boots that had come two days ago. Steve had ordered them before the entire fiasco broke loose. The feelings that she had for him before everything still existed but she wouldn't blame him if he didn't carry the same torch for her as before. "Are you?"

Steve's eyes met hers and held onto them. "I'm too blinded by betrayal to really know right now."

Bethany nodded, giving him a small smile. It was all she could offer him. "Good night Steve."

* * *

><p>Two months has passed and Steve and Bethany hadn't exchanged any more words. Sometimes, when they were both in the lab or the cafeteria, she could feel his gaze on her, but she was never if it was in hatred or longing. She had meant what she said. She <em>was<em> sorry that her decision ended up hurting not only him, but their child. She had put herself over two people, who she was sure, meant more to her than she was willing to admit. She didn't feel good about being the cause of a child's death, let alone Steve's, but she continued to remind herself that 1) it was what was best for everyone, no matter how wrong it seemed and 2) she couldn't undo it.

Her heart was once again in her chest, not hanging from her sleeve, exposed for all to see. Being Steve's girl left her feeling vulnerable. Being on her own, there was a sense of independence. People couldn't see what made her weak. She was, like Steve once said, invincible.

She felt like she could get herself into any situation and get out of it without a blink of an eye. She found herself wanting to break the rules, sneak into a HYDRA base and _prove_ that she was stronger than anyone else. She was craving adventure. The lab was getting too boring for her.

"Hey sweetheart," a grim voice came from behind. She was currently on her way to the local bar to pick up some more gin since Steve had depleted Howard's stock and they had yet to replenish it. "Looking to have some fun tonight?"

"No thank you," Bethany said calmly as she walked past him. He responded by taking a hold of her arm and pushing her up against the brick wall.

"I think you really want to have some fun," the man said, breath heavy with alcohol.

Bethany gave him a sweet smile, "I think they should've cut you off hours ago."

"Oh, a feisty one, eh?" The man spoke, his nose now grazing across her neck. Bethany rolled her eyes, thinking about how she was going to play this one out. She was luckily wearing her heels, so the impact would hurt more than with her combat boots. All she had to do was raise her knee to his crotch and then-

The man's body was suddenly pulled off her. "I believe she said '_no thank you'_."

Bethany crossed her arms at the sight of Steve landing a strong punch onto the man's jaw who instantly began to scramble away. "I can take care of myself," she told him.

"'Thanks' works the same way, Beth," he reminded her, turning and starting to walk away.

Bethany huffed and followed him. "I don't need a savior, Steve. I'm not your responsibility-"

"Maybe not," Steve interrupted. "But you're reckless."

"That has _nothing _to do-"

"It has everything!" He said stopping in his place, turning to face her. "You don't need to prove yourself to anyone, so why insist on it?!"

"I can protect myself," Bethany stated simply. "That's not proving anything."

"There's four different routes to the bar, where you are undoubtedly going," Steve pointed out. "All safe. Yet, you picked this one."

"Maybe I was looking for advent- wait. Did-did you follow me?" She asked, her eyes both narrowing in annoyance, but also showing a glimmer of surprise. From his attitude around the base, he seemed to care very little about what she did, certainly not enough to _follow_ her.

Their eyes met in an intense gaze. Steve looked guilty for only a second before shaking his head. "It wasn't my intention. But when I saw you go down here... look despite everything, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if you got hurt. Unlike you, I actually care about your wellbeing and feelings. After everything we shared, it seems only natural."

Bethany kept a calm and collected demeanor as the words sunk in, and as many of Steve's words did, engraved themselves into her heart. Trying not to crack the confident, independent seal, she repeated "I can protect myself. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to restock the liquor shelf you drank dry."

Steve watched as she walked down the alley, her frame getting smaller and smaller before she turned a corner and was gone. Taking in a deep breath, he contained the need to punch the brick wall. There was so much emotion flooding through his veins, they were all jumbled into one. He was mourning Bucky. His child. The Bethany he once knew. He was mad at himself. At Bethany. At this blasted war. And while Bethany was a source of misery, he couldn't deny that he still loved her. He didn't want to, but Bucky had been right.

_"You have every right to be mad at her Steve, but you're even more upset at the fact that you still have feelings for her. That you still _love _her," Bucky lectured him with a sigh. _

_Steve looked up from where he was cradling his head. "I don't want to-"_

_"I know, Steve." Bucky said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You can't just turn that kind of emotion off. And yeah, what she did was horrible. But we both know she isn't the devil. There's something going on with her. She can act and pretend that this is who she is, but even Howard knows that she's not herself."_

_"I know, I know," Steve said sniffling._

_"Do you think you'll be able to forgive her one day?"_

_Steve brushed some hair back into its usual wave. "It's too soon to tell. Right now, I just… I just want to forget everything about her."_

_Bucky stood up and looked down at his friend. "You're both fools, you know that right? She should have told you. Talked to you before she made any decision. Included you in the actual decision making. But look at it from her perspective. It's _her_ that would endure everything."_

_"You make it sound like us getting married and raising a child would be like hell for her!"_

_"Just consider the possibility that it might have been," Bucky said calmly. "But you shouldn't just cast her out of your life. One day she'll gain your trust back. I feel like if any two people in this world could recover from this, it's you two. I'm not saying it'll be easy, but you need to admit to yourself that you'd love her no matter what she'll do in the future and start to find a path to forgive her. And only then will she take the opportunity to prove to you that you can trust her."_

_"How do you know that?" Steve asked exasperated._

_Bucky gave him a small smile, "Because I know you two are meant to be. Don't give up yet. You may be miserable now, but I honestly believe that you'll be even more miserable in the future if you two don't work things out in some way or another. Even if it's just friendship. But I still believe that you two will end up together."_

There was a time when Steve thought the same. A time when his love for Bethany was clear in his eyes and that she could do no wrong. But he knew that Bucky was right, no matter how hard it was to admit it. He couldn't just hate her. Every time he tried, he remembered that girl who built his motorcycle, so much pride in her eyes when he told her he loved it. The girl that bought him the most comfortable leather jacket known to man. The girl who believed in him but would straight out call him on his—or anyone's—bullshit. The girl who could make him laugh, and the girl he could make laugh. The girl who taught him how to love in more than just affections, but physically.

He didn't regret his time with her. Not one second. She had taught him so much, and it was that girl that he was in love with. That girl didn't want to break his heart, she had even said as much. He could hate her. But he wasn't sure if he could forgive her. Not before she-

The loud bombing siren rang clear throughout the sky. Panic didn't strike in him, but annoyance. The chance that this was a drill was higher than an actual attack. He was too far away to take shelter back at the base, so he started back towards the street to follow the flood of panicked people to the bomb shelter.

He took a total of two steps before his heart fell. _Bethany. Damn_.

Taking a big breath in, he turned around and started running in the direction she headed in. Turning the corner, he collided with her, a bottle of gin falling from her hands. Steve caught it in record time, them both sharing a look of 'close call' before the sirens reminded them of their destination.

"Do you know where it is?" Steve asked as they began to jog up the alley way.

"Damn heels," Bethany muttered as they clacked on the cobblestone road. She almost tripped on a brick, but Steve quickly took hold of her elbow and didn't let it go, making sure she didn't have anymore close calls. "No, but it shouldn't be too hard. Everyone in the city will be headed that way."

Her words rang true as they made it back out onto the streets. "They look like cattle," Bethany observed as the crowd moved in together and pushed, everyone trying to reach safety before the other. "You can let go now," she added, her tone a suggesting one, not one with anger.

Steve let go of her and handed Bethany the bottle of gin back, the girl taking one look before popping it open and taking a giant swig. "Help yourself," she told him, handing it over as her face registered the burn that the alcohol made as it went down. "Looks like we're going to have to spend some time together. Might as well have this. Make things a little more… bearable."

Steve complied. Bucky had always said that gin was a drink drank when socializing, the buzz sharper. While he knew neither him nor Bethany would be able to relish in that buzz and maybe for a couple hours forget everything, they could pretend.

Soon enough- idle chit chat being exchanged about the weather, the pushy people and trying to get a message back to the base were thrown about- they reached the shelter, already packed with people. Steve used his strength and size to—politely—push their way to a corner. Bethany took her spot against the corner walls, Steve's body cornering her into place and keeping her from getting shoved or pushed.

"It's so hot," Bethany mumbled, pressing the glass of the gin bottle to her forehead. Steve nodded, unbuttoning his jacket and loosening his tie a little. Bethany sighed before taking a sip from the bottle and passing it to Steve. "I never thought I'd actually want to be back at the base."

Steve let out a breath of air. "It's the opposite for me. The base, no matter where it is, is a sense of home. Family. Something I haven't had in a while."

Bethany watched as Steve's lips touched the rim of the bottle, the liquid touching his full bottom lip before swallowing. They were quiet for a couple minutes before Bethany asked if his suit needed any adjusting before his next raid.

"Not that I know of," Steve answered. "I gave it to your brother, but I think it was in good shape."

Bethany nodded, pushing a curl behind her ear. "I heard you went to the front lines for Christmas."

"I wanted to show my support," Steve explained, studying the almost empty bottle. "I didn't really have anything planned for Christmas anyways."

Peggy had invited him to visit her family in England for Christmas, but Steve just wasn't up to it. He wasn't sure if he and Peggy had some flame burning between them or if it was just a friendly gesture, but he couldn't bring himself to go. He was mourning Bucky still, and the idea of sharing Christmas with anyone but him was painful. Instead, he asked to meet the men on the front lines who wouldn't be going home for Christmas. There, he talked with them about their experiences, assured that his division was working hard in order to stop the war as soon as humanly possible and helped with some battle plans and strategies. Overall, it was fulfilling and helped him keep his mind off of both Bucky and Bethany.

"How was your Christmas?" Steve asked politely. The conversation was a little cold, and was almost like they didn't know each other at all, but in a way, Steve knew this was true. He barely knew the woman standing in front of him.

"The worst one since my parents died," Bethany admitted.

"I'm sorry," Steve responded with, offering her the last of the gin. Bethany accepted it and shrugged.

"Maybe I deserved it," Bethany told him quietly. "I can't undo what I did. But I just want you to know, I'm living with my decision every day. And it's not as easy as I thought it would be."

"Are you saying you regret it?" Steve asked, raising an eyebrow. Her confession was very surprising, especially because Bethany wasn't the type to admit being wrong.

"I don't know," Bethany said. "Maybe in a couple years I will. But I'm not ready now. Every time I think about it, I get scared again. We were reckless and it would have led to me being very unhappy. But it's hard seeing you unhappy. That's the part makes it hard."

"We could have done it, you know. We could have been happy," Steve whispered, feeling the crowd push against his back, but not moving at all.

Bethany looked at her feet. "I'm not so sure of that. Not if it happened like it was supposed to. Like it was going to. I'm just not mature enough for that yet. And I don't think you are either. It could have very well ruined us, and a kid."

"Well, I think you did that enough yourself," Steve whispered, not malice in his tone.

Silence fell over them again and Steve welcomed it. Through the months, Steve had assumed Bethany was completely comfortable with her decision, and had no opinions or feelings about it besides it being the right thing for herself. But now, Steve was seeing that it wasn't that simple. That it wasn't as selfish as it originally seemed. He still didn't believe that what she did was the right thing, and he never would. But he was getting a glimpse of understanding from her that could lead to them being friends again.

Only time would tell.

* * *

><p>"Come in. This is Captain Rogers," Steve called over the radio, hoping, <em>begging <em>that someone would pick up. "Do you read me?"

"_Captain Rogers_," A voice sounded and Steve's heart rose only a little. "_What is your-"_

"_Steve! Is that you? Are you alright_?" Peggy's voice sounded.

"Peggy!" Steve let out relieved. "Schmidt's dead."

_"What about the plane?"_

Since opened his mouth a little, hesitating to find the right words. "That's a little bit tougher to explain."

"_Give me your coordinates and I'll find you a safe landing site."_

"There's not going to be a safe landing," Steve spoke clearly, trying to assert to himself that this was the right decision. "I'm gonna try and force it down."

_"I'll get Howard on the line, he'll know what to do." _She sounded really panicked, and Steve was grateful. One of them had to be panicked and he knew he couldn't second guess his gut feeling. Not now.

"There's not enough time," Steve insisted. "This thing is moving too fast and its heading for New York." He took a deep breath, putting his plans into words. "I have to put her in the water."

"_Please, don't do this. We have time, we can work it out."_

He could hear the tears in her voice, and he felt his heart clench. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt _anyone_. "Right now, I'm in the middle of nowhere. If I wait any longer, a lot of people are going to die." There was a brief silence before Steve gave himself the last push. "Peggy, this is my choice."

He reached in his pocket and took out the old compass. Opening it, he looked at the round black and white photo in the top frame before putting it so he could see it as the plane went down. "Peggy?"

_"I'm here_," her voice cracked over the line.

"I need to ask a favor of you," he almost begged, looking at the photo, never wanting to tear his gaze away.

"_Anything,"_ she promised.

"I need you to tell Bethany something," he said as he looked at the happy smile Bethany wore in the photo. It was from an issue of _Life_ that featured the Stark siblings. Steve had cut her face out and put in the compass, wanting to keep her close at all times. Whenever he was on a mission, or even late at night, it was always a comfort. Even after their break up, the lies and the hurt. The look on her face of pure achievement and happiness was enough to crack the smallest of smiles from him, even when he felt betrayed by her. The girl in the photo wasn't the girl she was now. It was the girl he had fallen in love with.

More than one person had saw it, even before they were together. Some of his team members would yank his leg about it, and he tried his best to hide it, but he knew it was nothing to be ashamed of. _Love_ wasn't something to be ashamed of.

"_Okay_," Peggy said over the line, voice so quiet that Steve barely heard it.

"Tell her… tell her I understand now," Steve found himself saying. As much as he wanted for Peggy to tell Bethany he forgave her, he couldn't bring himself to say so. He still felt betrayed by her decision, but now he could see what she meant. It wasn't going to work. If she was pregnant right now, sitting at her home in California or his home in New York, he would still be making this decision. He knew he needed to sacrifice his life in order to save everyone else. This was a clear decision in his head. He would be leaving her behind, someone he knew wasn't ready to become a mother. He wouldn't be there to help her and share the love for their child.

He understood that it wouldn't work. And despite everything, he couldn't help but smile a little. He could see the ice and water get closer and closer, but he felt extremely grateful for everything. Every moment with her, the good and the bad. He got to experience love and loss, heartbreak and lust. Bethany had given him the opportunity to feel so much more than he ever thought possible.

The white ground was getting steadily closer and Steve knew he had no more time to waste. "Tell Bethany I love her."

* * *

><p>"This entire thing could be over by the end of the day," Peggy told Bethany as they waited in the central communications deck. "Steve boarded the plane and all we can do now is wait."<p>

Bethany nodded, her painted fingers tapping on the back of a chair. "I swear, if Steve doesn't killed Schmidt, I will. I'm ready to go home."

Peggy nodded. "Too many people have died already. This needs to end-"

"_Come in. This is Captain Rogers_," sounded the radio.

"Captain Rogers," Jim Mortia said into the mic. "What is your-"

Peggy instantly interrupted. "Steve! Is that you? Are you alright?"

_"Peggy!" _Steve said with an air of relief. "_Schmidt's dead._"

Bethany breathed out a sigh, a small smile making its way on her face. _Thank God_. "What about the plane?" Peggy asked.

"_That's a little bit tougher to explain_," Steve's voice echoed back. Peggy and Bethany shared an alarmed looked, but Peggy didn't let this get in her way.

"Give me your coordinates and I'll find you a safe landing site."

_"There's not going to be a safe landing," _Steve voice came back. Bethany raised her hand to her forehead, feeling a headache coming on. _What is he doing? Steve, what are you doing?_ "_I'm gonna try and force it down._"

"I'll get Howard on the line, he'll know what to do." Bethany watched as Peggy became stricken with panic. Bethany wanted to run after her brother, or even give her own input towards how Steve could have a safe landing, but she couldn't. She couldn't even form a sentence.

"_There's not enough time,_" Steve insisted. Bethany could hear the determination in his voice, so much like the day she first saw him and Bucky talking at the World of Tomorrow Expo. This was something he had to do and nothing anyone said would change his mind. _"This thing is moving too fast and its heading for New York. I have to put her in the water."_

Bethany's eyes fluttered closed, her breathing becoming shallow, hitching in her throat. "Please, don't do this. We have time, we can work it out."

_Yes, Steve, _Bethany's thoughts echoed. _We can work it all out. We can have that house with the picket white fence. Kids, a dog, a cat. Whatever you want. Just… just come back._

Her thoughts never left her lips though, as much as she wanted them too. _He doesn't deserve this. God, please, just please let him be okay. I'll do anything he wants, without a second thought if you just let him live._

_"Right now, I'm in the middle of nowhere. If I wait any longer, a lot of people are going to die." _He sounded strong. How, Bethany wasn't sure. He was about to take his last breath, about to sacrifice himself. He had finally defeated Schmidt and instead of celebrating, ending the godforsaken war and living his life, he was ending it. _"Peggy, this is my choice."_

Bethany slid down to the floor, unable to stand any longer. Her emotions were running so high and wild, she could do nothing but let them overtake her. She was losing control _again_, but this time she couldn't solve it. She couldn't do anything and she hated herself for it.

_"Peggy?"_ Steve asked after a moment of silence.

"I'm here," Peggy assured, attempting to hold back her tears.

_"I need to ask a favor of you," _Steve begged, almost desperate for this one last thing.

"Anything," Peggy responded, her finger tips tracing the edge of her eye, stopping a tear from falling.

_"I need you to tell Bethany something_." Peggy instantly looked down to where Bethany was, a blank look on her face. Bethany shook her head slightly, as if to say 'don't tell him I'm here'. If he knew, she would be expected to say something and she physically couldn't. She didn't want to let him down, make him think she didn't want to talk to him. She wanted to, desperately. But all she would say, if she could, was to ask him not to do this. And she already knew he would no matter what she pleaded.

"Okay," Peggy whispered, reaching out to take Bethany's hand, to which the blonde was extremely grateful for. Even with the riff between the two, in this moment, they were there for each other. _Peggy_ was there for Bethany and that meant so much to her.

"_Tell her… tell her I understand now."_

Bethany's eyes closed momentarily, a single tear falling down her face. He understood now, just as she was understanding too. Just as she hated herself. She wanted a piece of Steve now. Those last few months without him. All of it just wasn't enough and it was her own selfishness that was the cause of her suffering now.

She still knew she wasn't ready for any of it, but she wasn't ready for him to leave her life permanently. A part of her always knew that somehow they would rekindle their flame. It wouldn't be able to stay blown out for long, it was that strong. Eternal even.

Her decisions then… they were _wrong_. It was all so clear now, clearer than anything she ever knew. She was idiotic not to have seen it then. She truly thought that losing control was the most painful thing she would ever have to endure, but now she knew differently. Losing Steve was ten times worse.

"_Tell Bethany I lov-" _Steve's voice cracked through the speakers before going dead. There was a moment of silence, Bethany feeling her heart halt. She couldn't hold back the tears now as they steadily fell down, her gaze intently on the floor.

"Steve?" She could hear Peggy beg over the dead system. "Steve?"

_He's gone_, Bethany moaned to herself. Just like that. She didn't even get to say goodbye. She had the chance, but couldn't bring herself to do it. It was like saying goodbye was admitting he was leaving. Admitting that she would never hear his laughter again. Never see his hair fall from its perfect coif or be able to trace the divots of his body with her fingernails. She would never see the look of pure love and satisfaction on his face as they both fell from their highs. She would never see him blush again. She would never be able to tell him that she loved him.

Her body tingled, as if remembering every touch Steve placed on her body. The sweet spot on her neck felt bare and she fought the urge to cover it. It had been months since his lips touched it so lovingly in a way that Bethany didn't think possible. It had been months since she reached euphoria with Steve, but her body remembering it as if it had been merely minutes. She felt exposed and vulnerable, but for the time being, she didn't care.

He didn't finish his sentence, or maybe he did and the transmission cut out before, but Bethany knew what he was going to say. His last moments were dedicated to her and only her. Despite everything she put him through, he still loved her. Bethany didn't feel like she deserved the honor of his last thoughts, but knew that Steve did. He thought she was worth it, while she just felt like shit.

He loved her. Just like he said he did. Her actions didn't change his mind. Yes, she broke his heart, lost his trust, but he never stopped loving her. And somehow, she always knew this.

She _hated_ herself. She wanted to bring extreme harm to body, inflict as much physical pain as she inflicted emotionally to Steve. _I didn't deserve any of those moments with him. None of them. I ruined his life while he made mine the best it could ever be._

She could feel the presence of someone holding her in their arms, but her eyes where so blurred, ears still echoing with Steve's last words to identify who it was. She knew no matter what happened from there on out, nothing would ever be able to break her heart like it was now. There was so much she wanted to say, but she could settle with three words.

_Steve, _her thoughts cried out. _I love you, too._


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Howard watched as his sister sat down at his desk, a metal box with wires sticking out of it in her hands. He had seen her playing with it for weeks, absentmindedly twisting the wires. He wasn't sure what it was, and was almost one hundred percent sure Bethany didn't know what it was either. It was keeping her busy though. Keeping her from locking herself in her room, not eating, not sleeping, not doing anything but sitting and watching the wall.

The war was over. They were going home the next morning, something Howard was grateful for. Bethany needed a change of scenery, a place that wouldn't constantly remind her of Steve. Everything had been packed up and ready to go. All he needed was Bethany to follow him. He wasn't sure if she would, though.

_I'll find him for you_, Howard thought as he watched Bethany twist to wires together, a spark flickering. Howard had immediately set forward to look for Steve, but all he found was a little blue cube, giving off strong energy. He instantly knew that this is what HYDRA was using in order to power their weapons. He was planning on setting out on another expedition soon. Looking over some of Erskine's original notes, he was almost sure that Steve would still be alive. And even if he wasn't, they needed to find his body and put him to rest with his family. He deserved that much. He deserved more than that.

"Howard?" Peggy asked from behind him, letting out a soft sigh. "How is she?"

Howard shook his head, shoving his hands into his pockets. "The same."

"Poor girl," Peggy mumbled. "I honestly didn't think she would take it like this after… well after everything."

Howard nodded. "I knew she loved him. Her decisions never made any sense to me, but I knew she loved him." He sighed heavily. "Once we get back to California, I'm taking her to a doctor."

"Oh?" Peggy asked, tilting her head a little.

"There's something wrong," Howard stated. "She's unbalanced. I'm worried about her."

Peggy placed a comforting hand on his arm. "Let me know, will you? She and I haven't been close these last few months, but I think we're all learning that the friendships made during this war will last us a lifetime. And let me know if there is anything that I can do for her."

"Will do," Howard said with a nod before the agent walked away. He looked back to Bethany who was still staring at that little metal box, her eyes red and face puffy from crying. _If only I knew what _I _could do for her. _

* * *

><p>SHIELD?" Bethany asked, looking at the sheet Howard handed her. "The initials spell SHIELD. That's not a coincidence, is it?"<p>

Howard took a sip of his drink. Time had passed and Bethany only seemed to get worse. There was a long period of time where she did nothing but stay in her room. Everything he tried to do to help her only seemed to make the situation worse, but after recent turn of events, he figured what Bethany really needed was a distraction. And a big one at that. "Nope, not in the slightest."

"And you want me to do what, exactly?" Bethany asked, putting the sheet down and crossing her arms.

"You've always said you wanted to be an agent," Howard explained. "I want you to work for SHIELD."

"Why?" Bethany asked, looking bored.

"'Cause you can't just sit and mope for the rest of your life," Howard explained in the nicest way possible. "You need to go out and take your anger out on something, someone."

Bethany sighed annoyed but nodded. "Fine."

Howard gave her a small smile. "Good. Now there's a couple things you need to do before I send you on your first assignment."

"Yeah?" Bethany asked, folding her arms.

"You need to get an examination, just to make sure you're in the right mental state," Howard said carefully. "And when you're given the all clear, you'll have to go through training. I've already found someone who is willing to train you. He's the best at what he does."

Bethany nodded, but there was no emotion in her eyes. Howard had been hoping for a flicker of excitement, but she was very much a dead woman inside. Mourning after a loved one was one thing, but Howard knew that Bethany was carrying her guilt with her, and it was only going to weight her down every single day. "Okay. But why does my mental state need to be evaluated?"

"We're doing it with everyone," Howard explained casually. He technically wasn't lying, but he didn't reveal that the real reason was to see if there was something wrong with Bethany. Ever since they returned to America, he tried to get Bethany to see a doctor. It wasn't right, what she was doing and how she was acting. The doctors he had consulted said it was just depression, and when Howard told them that her attitude change had been there before Steve disappeared, they all said the same thing: they needed to evaluate her in person to make an actual diagnosis.

"Sign me up," Bethany replied, giving him the softest of smiles, but it looked both forced and foreign, as if the movement was actually painful.

* * *

><p>"And?" Howard asked the doctor he hired to evaluate his employees. Bethany's evaluation took longer than most of the other patients, and Howard was worried about what that could mean.<p>

Dr. Kiriakis sighed. "I understand your concerns about your sister. She isn't schizophrenic though, so you can relax."

Howard nodded, feeling a weight being lifted off of him. "But you agree that there is something wrong?"

"To be honest, yes. Your sister seems to be going through manic depression right now. Most likely due to the death of her ex-lover."

Howard sighed, repeating what he had already said a million times. "Everything started before his death."

"Here's the thing about science and medicine," Dr. Kiriakis started, showing Howard his notes. "We haven't yet discovered everything there is to know. I'll talk to some other doctors, see if they have any ideas as to what it could be. The good news is, she isn't suicidal. If she hasn't had any accidents yet, I doubt that there will be in the future. Some people are afraid of actually committing harm to their bodies, which fortunately, keeps them alive."

Howard kept his thoughts on the matter to himself. He knew that Bethany had a nasty habit of inflicting pain on herself, and while it made him feel uneasy, it somehow made her feel a little better, and since she could heal, it was strangely beneficial.

"And for the time being?" Howard asked, looking at the results of Bethany's tests.

"Let her train," the doctor suggested. "Not any real assignments, but things to make her feel useful. She needs to feel like she has meaning in the world."

Howard nodding, knowing that Dr. Kiriakis was right. Bethany had always had a purpose in life, a reason to get up every morning. Now, she had absolutely nothing motivating her _except_ the promise of SHIELD. When he had been falsely accused of committing treason, Bethany broke out of her bubble a little, but it hadn't been enough. She had slipped back in. She needed something to keep her going every single day.

* * *

><p>Daniel McCain was a British agent who Howard welcomed into SHIELD as a trainer. Paying him a generous salary, he was very impressed at what the British agent accomplished. McCain spent the majority of his time with Bethany, however, seeing true potential in her. He said that she had so much pent up anger that it pulsed through her, making the one-hundred and twenty-pound girl stronger than she should be. Howard had told McCain about Bethany's ability to heal, which was something the agent thought more than useful. He could push and push Bethany to her limits and know that she would be fine the next day. It had been a year since he first started training her and Bethany was already shaping up to be the best agent at SHIELD.<p>

Bethany had instantly become the most lethal person McCain had ever met, and while he had little more to teach her, he wasn't ready to leave his position at SHIELD as he had previously arranged. One; Howard told him he wasn't ready to give Bethany her first assignment. The results of her mental evaluation still held her in question on whether she would be stable enough to be put on the field. Two; he really enjoyed spending time with her. She really wasn't like any other girl in the world.

Bethany wasn't the same girl she once was. She didn't fool around at all, but took everything very seriously. She was hardheaded and powerful. She could take out a man twice her size using very little energy, and do it while still looking fabulous. She wasn't the same person, but McCain still thought she was brilliant.

"Do you… do you have a crush on my sister?" Howard asked one day as McCain watched Bethany punch a punching bag with purpose. She was barely breaking a sweat, and despite being at it for a good five minutes, didn't look exhausted yet.

"What?" McCain asked alarmed. "Of course not."

"Because I'm pretty sure my sister has given up love forever. I just don't want to see someone else fall into her trap," Howard explained. "I don't even think she's capable of love anymore."

"Don't worry," McCain assured. "I take my job very seriously. I will not let any of my feelings ever get in the way. If I had any, that is."

Howard looked to McCain for a moment, watching as the British man studied Bethany carefully. He had seen that look of infatuation time and time again over the years towards his sister, and if Bethany had never fallen for Steve, Howard could see Bethany loving Daniel McCain. But the reality was that Bethany _had_ met Steve and seemed to believe that since Steve didn't get a happy ending, she wasn't allowed to either.

* * *

><p>After Peggy successfully completed a mission meant for 5 men by herself, Howard invited her to join him in running SHIELD. He had always wanted Peggy to join him in this spot, but he needed her to prove to him that she could do it. Not that Howard needed convincing, but everyone else working inside of SHIELD did. However, with Peggy helping Howard with operations, they tended to get into disagreements in regards to Bethany. McCain had told Howard that he couldn't teach Bethany anymore and she was more than ready for her first assignment. Howard didn't agree.<p>

"I know you're still hoping that a doctor will show up and tell you that there is something wrong with her, Howard," Peggy started as they sat in his office. "But why don't you give her a partner? Someone to watch over her during assignments?"

Howard sighed, "I know, I know. If they haven't found anything concerning by now, they probably won't. I guess I'm just being overprotective. I feel like I have to now because…"

"Because Steve isn't here?" Peggy finished for him.

"I've always been her big brother, and I've always wanted what was best for her," Howard explained softly. "But Rogers came along and he stepped into that role with such ease, I guess I took a step back and didn't realize it. Now I feel like I have to be even more protective of her than I ever was."

Peggy offered him a small smile. "I'm sure Steve would be grateful for that."

"We'll find out," Howard said sorting through some papers.

Peggy frowned, "Howard, you can't still believe that he's out there-"

"I know he is," he interrupted. "We still have thousands of miles to scope. I'm heading out on the next expedition to supervise it myself. During that time, you will be running SHIELD."

"Understood," Peggy said with a nod. "Will it be completely out of hand for me to assign Bethany her first assignment?"

* * *

><p>"I don't need a babysitter," Bethany moaned as McCain trailed her. "My first assignment and I can't even do it alone? What are they so afraid of?"<p>

"Darling, you need to stop complaining. You have an assignment, be happy."

"Don't call me 'darling'," Bethany snapped as she peered around the corner.

"Well, stop complaining," McCain answered back with his usual cocky smile. "You want to know the truth?"

Bethany rounded the corner, waving for McCain to follow her. "Does that mean you've been lying to me?"

"Your brother doesn't want you going on missions alone because he thinks you're unstable," McCain said as he knocked out a guard sneaking up on them.

"'Unstable'?" Bethany asked as she scissor kicked the guard's friend. "And why am I unstable?"

"Because of Steve-" Bethany quickly moved to push McCain against the wall, arm pressed against his throat. They were pressed up against each other, but Bethany's eyes shone only with anger, as they did whenever McCain spoke about Steve.

"Well, you can tell him that I'm fine," Bethany stressed between gritted teeth. "I don't need him looking out for me. I can take care of myself."

"Evidently," McCain coughed as Bethany walked away, leaving the man gripping his throat and wishing he hadn't said anything.

* * *

><p>Five years later and Bethany was the top agent at SHIELD. Howard still insisted on her having a partner on every mission, and while Bethany disagreed, she didn't argue. Not since they found out she had bipolar disorder.<p>

When they first found out, Bethany laughed. She actually _laughed_. It seemed to explain everything in the last fifteen years so clearly that she knew it was true. Dr. Kiriakis suggested they start treatment, to which Bethany rolled her eyes to. She refused electroconvulsive treatment and lobotomy on the spot. She really didn't think they'd have effect on her, since her body would heal. Instead, Bethany did her own research and decided to use lithium carbonate to stabilize her moods.

McCain noticed an instant change in her, him spending more time with her than anyone else. Before she went through stages of not feeling anything to feeling too much. Now, she didn't feel anything, but it was clear that her decisions weren't affected by any emotion. She was completely invincible, nothing phasing her in the slightest.

Not even the knowledge that she wasn't aging. It was 1952 and Bethany watched as Howard's hair began to grey around the edges, Peggy's eyes always having a crinkle around them. Even McCain was starting to complain of back pains every once in a while. Everyone around her was showing signs of their age while Bethany could barely pass for twenty-three.

"_Beth? I'm not saying there's nothing wrong with waiting. But you're not going to be young forever."_ Howard's words rang through her head once every single day. He had it wrong. She did have forever. Forever in a young woman's body. She was stuck in the same spot, never moving forward.

Yet she didn't let this get in the way. She continued her duties; agent, inventor, doctor. Whatever was required of her, she became it. She now had forever and she planned on making the best of her life. If she had to spend eternity with the guilt of Steve riding on her every move, she had to keep herself occupied somehow.

* * *

><p><em>May 29th, 1970<em>

Bethany held baby Tony in her arms. She couldn't help but crack a small smile when his arms waved around. "He's beautiful, Maria."

Howard's wife smiled. "It means a lot to him that you're here," Maria said about Howard. "He wasn't sure you'd come."

Bethany looked out the window of Maria's hospital room to see where Howard was talking to a doctor. "I know it's been a couple years, but I wasn't sure this day would ever come. Howard, a dad? This was something I had to see for myself."

Maria chuckled, "He's nervous, I can tell you that much."

"I don't blame him," Bethany whispered, taking in Tony's appearance. "Are all babies this beautiful?"

"Hey Beth?" Howard asked poking his head in the room, interrupting the moment. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

Bethany gave Tony one last look before handing him over to his mother and following Howard out the room. "Congratulations, Howard."

Howard gave a curt nod, clearly nervous about becoming a parent. "Nice hair."

Bethany pushed one of the short brown curls out of her face. "I thought it was time for a new look. You know, considering I'm dead and all."

Howard gave her an exasperated look. "Bethany, you know that people were starting to question why you looked so young. We're in the direct public eye. If we didn't fake your death, you would've had to admit the worl-"

"I know," Bethany told him. "But you're the only family I have, and I haven't seen you in years."

Howard reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. "Look, Maria suggested I stop spreading myself so thin, so I want to give you some responsibility at SHIELD."

Bethany took the paper and opened it, it being an official letter to the SHIELD Council Howard was in the middle of making. "I want you to get all rights to anything related to the Super Soldier project. All of it."

Bethany nodded, folding the paper and putting it in her pocket. They shared a look before Howard pulled her in for a hug. "I've missed you so much."

Bethany held her brother close, taking a deep breath in. "I want to be a part of his life."

Howard nodded, "And I want him to know you. But Beth, it's not a good idea. What if he tells someone that his aunt doesn't age?"

"Howard, if I don't have my family through all of this, then what's the point?" Bethany asked against his shoulder. "I already lost Steve, I can't lose you and Tony too."

Howard pulled a part slightly to look at her. "What about McCain?"

"What about him?" Bethany asked, clearly not wanting to discuss her recently deceased partner.

"Beth," Howard said with a tilt of his head. "You've been taking your meds right?"

Bethany nodded. "Yes. Look, I have to just forget about McCain. I can't mourn everyone I've lost in my life, or else that's all I'll be doing the rest of it."

"It's okay to feel," Howard told her.

"I do," Bethany assured. "But I only let myself feel for the things that matter."

"And McCain's death doesn't matter, doesn't bother you at all?" Howard asked, not believing her.

Bethany looked away, back into the room where Maria was cradling Tony. "Cherish every moment with your son."

With that, she walked away.

* * *

><p><em>May 20th, 1975<em>

"This… this is amazing Tony," Bethany told her nephew looking at the circuit board he built. "You did this by yourself?"

The little kid nodded, happy that someone was appreciative of his work. "Yes. I got most of the materials from Daddy, but I did it all by myself."

"Wow," Bethany said. _This kid is a genius_, she thought as Tony explained everything to her.

"Aunt Beth?" Tony asked, settling in her lap. "How come you've been gone so long?"

Bethany sighed, holding Tony close. "I guess I've been busy kid. But you know that you mean more to me than anyone else in this world, right?"

"Does that mean I can ask you a question?" Tony asked, turning his head to see her face.

"Of course," Bethany said, pushing one of his wild curls out of his eyes.

"Why is Daddy old and you're not?"

Bethany gave him a small smile, the biggest smile she ever gave anyone anymore. "Can you keep a secret Tony?" Tony nodded enthusiastically as Bethany rearranged them so Tony sat on her knee facing her. "I don't age."

"Ever?" Tony asked, wide eyed.

"Ever," Bethany nodded.

"Why?" Tony asked taking a hold of her hand.

Bethany sighed, "It's hard to explain. But I will one day, kiddo. I promise."

* * *

><p><em>June 1st, 1977<em>

"Howard," Bethany said leaning against Howard's work table. "You need to stop. Come upstairs and spend the day with your son."

"I'm busy Beth," Howard insisted. "I need to perfect this befo-"

"No, you need to spend some time with your son. See how amazing he is," Bethany corrected. "He built an _engine _last week, Howard. He's _seven_."

Howard sighed, "Look Beth, I don't have time. I know he understands. Plus, you're here. He keeps telling Maria how you're his favorite person in the world. He'll be fine."

Bethany groaned but went back upstairs to see Tony sitting on the floor, working on his engine. "What cha doing, Tony? I thought it was done."

"It's making too much noise," Tony explained. "I want to make it silent."

Bethany nodded, sitting beside him. "Need some help?"

Tony smiled and nodded, his curls flopping every which way. "Yes please!"

Tony chatted away as the two of them found the source of the noise and began working on silencing it. "Aunt Bethany? Why doesn't my Daddy love me?"

Bethany's hands froze as she looked at the heartbroken look on Tony's face. "Oh, Tony. Why would you think that?"

"Because he… he's always more interested in work. He was away for my birthday, too."

Bethany cupped Tony's face in her hands. "Listen kid, your Dad loves you. He just thinks you know, so he doesn't have to show you. But you know that your Dad is a very important man. The world depends on him."  
>Tony nodded sadly, "My class is doing a project on someone we admire, and my teacher said I should do Daddy since he helped end the war, but…"<p>

She pulled him into her lap, grateful that he still let her do this. "You don't have to pick him if you don't want to, kid."

"I don't know who to do," Tony admitted. "Who would you do?"

Bethany sighed, thinking about this carefully before saying "Captain America."

"Daddy talks about him a lot," Tony said, rubbing some grease off his fingers.

"He was an amazing man," Bethany said softly. "People like that don't exist anymore."

Tony leaned his head on her shoulder. "Did you love him Aunt Beth?"

Bethany nodded slowly, kissing his forehead. "I still do, Tony."

* * *

><p><em>June 16, 1986<em>

Bethany waited in a corner, watching as Tony walked up and received his honors. She knew that Howard and Maria were already settled in, sitting in the uncomfortable looking chairs, but she figured she wouldn't risk being seen with them in public. Her life consisted of staying on the down low, but she wasn't going to miss Tony graduating from MIT at sixteen.

She let that small smile reserved for only Tony take over when he walked down the stage, immediately making eye contact with her. When the ceremony was over, he walked over to his aunt, waving his diploma around like a baton.

Bethany gave him a small chuckle, shaking her head before pulling him into a hug. "Congrats, kid."

"I'm really glad you're here," Tony told her. "You look good. Nice earrings."

"I always wear these," Bethany reminded him, touching her diamond earrings carefully before swinging his tassel from the hat in front of his view. "And you know I wouldn't miss this for the world."

"Dad said you'd be busy," Tony explained, looking to where his parents were patiently waiting for Tony to make his way over to them.

"Yeah, well I made time," Bethany revealed. _More like killed those fuckers on day one instead of day three like the outline said_. "No trouble."

Tony smiled and pulled her in for another hug. "Thanks Aunt Beth. It means a lot to me."

Bethany patted his back. "Go, get out of here. I'm sure your parents want to celebrate with you."

"I'll see you soon?" Tony asked, not ready to let her slip away.

Bethany nodded, "And you know whenever you need me, I'm here."

* * *

><p><em>1990<em>

"Agent Stark," Bethany heard from behind her. She was currently in the level 8 filing room, looking for some extra information about her current mission. Bethany turned around to see a shy looking man in a black suit. "Sorry to interrupt, but I'm Phil Coulson. I've been assigned to you."

Bethany closed the filing cabinet and leaned against it. "Right," she said holding out a hand. "I got the memo this morning."

"I hope it's alright," Coulson said, shaking her hand. "They asked me if there was anyone I would like to have as my supervising officer, and I chose you. They said that you didn't normally take on students."

"Usually, I don't." Bethany explained, moving to another cabinet. "But it's SHIELD protocol for me to have a partner at all times, and my last one got herself pregnant."

Coulson nodded, frowning as Bethany sorted through the files. "You don't have to answer, but why do you need a partner at all times?"

Bethany sighed and looked at him, "They didn't tell you?" Coulson's blank face answered her question. "I'm bipolar. Because of that, they don't trust me to make decisions by myself. Which is also the reason I'm not running SHIELD. Which I _should_ be, if you asked me."

Coulson nodded as Bethany went back to the files. "What are you looking for?"

"Dr. Abraham Erskine's notes on the Super Solider formula," Bethany answered, closing the drawer. "They must have moved them."

"All due respect, Agent Stark, but weren't you Dr. Erskine's prodigy?"

Bethany sighed, running her fingers through her brown hair. "I was. There's just been some reports about a man with super human abilities working for the Russians, and I just wanted to read up on the serum."

"The Winter Soldier?" Coulson asked.

Bethany nodded. "He's been a thorn in my side for a while now. Some say he doesn't exist, but I want to be prepared in case he does. Anyways, I should probably get you briefed. We leave for Afghanistan in the morning."

* * *

><p><em>December 16, 1991<em>

The speed on which Bethany met Tony at the hospital was incredible considering she was at the SHIELD base in Tampa and Tony was in Long Island.

Tony's tear streaked face met Bethany's worried one as Tony attacked her with a hug. "They're gone," Tony whispered in her ear as he cried.

Bethany could feel tears well in her eyes, but she willed them to go away, rubbing Tony's back. "Shh, Tony. Just breathe."

Bethany looked up to see Alexander Pierce, one of the leaders of SHIELD standing at the end of the hall. Bethany held Tony closer to her for a couple moments longer before finally deciding to confront the man. "Stay here, okay kid? I'm just going to talk to some people."

Tony nodded and sat back down in his seat. Bethany straightened her leather jacket before making her way over. "What are you doing here, Pierce?" She snapped.

"Offering my sympathies on behalf of all of SHIELD," he explained. Bethany scoffed, rolling her eyes. She never liked the man. The two of them had been partners once and he always rubbed her the wrong way.

"Look, now isn't a good time. Tony doesn't know anything about SHIELD," Bethany told him. "I need you to leave. And better yet, not get yourself involved in my family."

Pierce gave her a sly smile. "How's your assignment coming along, Stark?"

"You mean the Winter Soldier?" Bethany asked crossing her arms. "That one?"

"That hasn't been assigned to you," Pierce told her strongly.

Bethany smirked, "No, but it's clear that the Council doesn't believe he exists. I do, however. What I want to know is how the Russians got their hands on Erskine's serum."

"Maybe they haven't," Pierce stated. "But until you've been told otherwise, you are to not get involved with that. The same goes for Phil Coulson. You two should remember that." Bethany crossed her arms stubbornly. "I also wanted to let you know that with Howard gone, we've elected to stop looking for Captain Rogers."

"No," Bethany almost yelled, her heart starting to pound. She knew that Howard had spent millions of dollars looking for Steve over the years, but they hadn't found the plane or a body. He couldn't have just disappeared into thin air. He was still out there somewhere.

"It's too time consuming, not to mention expensive," Pierce said, shoving his hands deep into his pockets.

"I may not be the head of SHIELD," Bethany said stepping closer, "But Howard stated long ago that anything regarding the Super Soldier project was to be conversed with me first. I've always had that right. And _trust me_, I will be bringing this up with the Council."

Bethany turned on her heel, on her way to comfort the only family she had left.

* * *

><p><em>October 9th, 1996<em>

"Someone needs to step on this spider," Bethany groaned to Coulson as they looked over the last mission report from Russia. "Black Widow. What kind of codename is that?"

Coulson chuckled, "I think it's pretty cool actually."

Bethany gave him a look before taking a bite of a banana. She personally enjoyed Coulson's company. There was just something about him that put her at ease. He was the best SHIELD partner she ever had, especially since he never undermined her, as some agents had done in the past because of her bipolar disorder. "She's going to be a major threat if she doesn't stop soon."

"I think you should spend less time worrying about her and more time worry about your nephew." Coulson said, handing her a magazine.

Bethany took it and rolled her eyes. "All that money and fame, just going to his head. At least he's making some good decisions with the company."

"I think it's more Obadiah Stane than Tony," Coulson admitted.

Bethany made a face, "_Don't_ mention that name in front of me. I hate that man."

"You hate a lot of people," Coulson reminded her with a small smile.

Bethany gave Coulson a pointed look before turning her attention back to the Black Widow files.

* * *

><p><em>February 14th, 1998<em>

"Happy V-Day," Clint said to Bethany handing her a basket of fruit.

Bethany looked at the basket with amusement, a hint of a smile on her face. "What are you doing Barton?"  
>He shrugged. "Just wanted you to feel special. Nothing more, nothing less. A beautiful, talented girl ought to have some sort of-"<p>

"There's a favor attached to these compliments, isn't there?" Bethany said, crossing her arms.

"Maybe…" Clint admitted. "Look, you know I wouldn't come to you unless it was serious."

Clint held up the yellowest banana and held it to her with a smile. Bethany took the fruit and sighed. "Fine, what?"

"It's about Natalia," Clint started.

"I thought she wanted to go by Natasha now," Bethany said sitting on top of her desk.

"I know she's going to be an amazing SHIELD agent, but I also know that a lot of people are nervous about her being here."

"Yeah," Bethany said peeling the banana. "We're letting an enemy come behind our lines. Historically, not a good decision."

"Look, can you just take her on as your student? She doesn't need any training, but people will start to trust her more if you do." Clint explained.

Bethany raised an eyebrow. "Are you crazy?"

"My psych evaluation says no. Look, just do this for me? Please?"

Bethany took a bite of her banana. "Coulson is my partner."

"So we'll trade for a couple weeks," Clint responded. "Please?"

Bethany fought back the urge to roll her eyes as she conceded. She hadn't wanted to become friends with Clint, but he was very good at worming his way into people's lives. Now, she couldn't even imagine not seeing him almost every single day.

* * *

><p><em>July 4th, 2000<em>

"Something on your mind?" Natasha asked Bethany as they waited for Clint to give them the go ahead.

"What's going on between you and Barton?" Bethany asked, loading her gun.

"Nothing," Natasha quickly stated. "You know how seriously I take my job."

Bethany nodded. "Just wondering, that's all. It's my knowledge that romances on the job don't end well."

"You sound like you speak from experience," Natasha said with a raised eyebrow.

"Not exactly," Bethany answered, placing her gun in it's holster. "We didn't really work together, but in the same general area. It's complicated."

"Then uncomplicate it and tell me," Natasha insisted.

Bethany let out a heavy breath of air. "He was a soldier, I was working in the lab. We lived on the same base, and more often than not interacted."

"Does this guy have a name?" The redhead asked, pulling on her gloves.

"Captain Steve Rogers," Bethany whispered before putting in her earpiece.

Natasha frowned for a couple of seconds, "I know that name."

Bethany nodded. "Clint said the exact same thing when I told him."

"Well, can I have a hint?" Natasha asked, fixing her hair.

Bethany bit her lip before nodding. "He was born on this day."

_Happy Birthday, Steve._

* * *

><p><em>September 13, 2001<em>

Bethany sat in Director Fury's office, looking at a file folder in her hands. "They want to start up Project Rebirth?"

Fury nodded. "After the recent attacks, the military agreed that we need what we once had."

"A Super Soldier," Bethany mumbled.

"An army of them," Fury corrected.

Bethany shook her head. "It was always just Steve."

"Well, you know politicians. The bigger the better," Fury explained. "We'll be sending you in to join the group at Culver University. There you will just be an expert on the first experiment sent in by the government to overlook the process. What you'll actually be doing, Miss. Stark, is giving any assistance that you can."

"We're condoning this, then?" Bethany asked, looking up from the file.

Fury nodded, "However, we both know this may take years to perfect, and we still need you here, so you'll just be supervising once a month until you think they are close."

Bethany sighed but nodded. "And if this works? We let the United States Army become one of purely Super Soldiers?"

"That was the original idea, Miss. Stark. One that you agreed to."

Bethany let out a huff of air in exhaustion. She had tried to never let her mental age reflect the one on her birth certificate, but instead her physical age, but she couldn't help but feel like a bitter old woman in this circumstances, people using her past decisions to influence her future. But, at the same time, she ultimately knew she had no choice. "When do I leave?"

* * *

><p><em>December 25th, 2005<em>

"Don't you have any family, Dr. Banner?" Bethany asked while watching the doctor work.

Bruce laughed, "Don't you, Miss. Coulson?"

In attempt to keep her identity a secret, she asked Coulson if she could borrow his last name for this assignment. Phil had smiled and told her that he didn't mind at all, and it was the least he could do for her. "Just a nephew," Bethany said taking out her phone and sending a quick text to Natasha.

"And you don't think you should be with him?" Bruce questioned.

Bethany shrugged. "I asked him if he wanted to do anything. He went to Cuba or something."

"You know, I've known you for almost four years, and this is the longest conversation we've ever held about our personal life."

Bethany thought about it and nodded, "I'm a very secretive person. I like to keep to myself."

"No boyfriend or anything?" Bruce asked while studying a vial.

"Don't _you_ have a girlfriend?" Bethany asked crossing her arms.

Bruce put his hands up in surrender, "I didn't mean it like that. All I meant is you're an extremely attractive woman with incredible knowledge. It's hard to see why men wouldn't be attracted to you."

Bethany leaned against the wall, letting a deep sigh escape her lips. "It's not that. It's _me _being attracted to _them_. I once had a boyfriend so perfect, so beautiful that no one can compare now."

"And what happened?" Bruce asked, fixing his glasses.

"He crashed a plane into the ocean," Bethany said calmly. Bruce immediately looked up in surprise.

"I'm sorry," he apologized sincerely.

"Don't be," Bethany assured him. "It was a long time ago. And I know he wouldn't have change his decision. It saved a lot of people. Bruce? Why don't we take a break? It is Christmas after all."

* * *

><p><em>January 21st, 2006<em>

"Any news?" Bethany asked Coulson in the level 8 clearance deck.

Coulson shook his head, "Not a word. Betty Ross is doing well however."

"Good," Bethany sighed. "We need to find him before the military does."

"And do what exactly?" Clint asked from his place across the room. "You saw it. How do you take something like that down?"  
>Bethany scowled. "Bruce Banner isn't an 'it'. And yes, I saw the footage. But everyone has a weakness, we just need to find out what it is. In the meantime, I have to go do damage control."<p>

"The Hulk's damage?" Clint asked, playing with one of his arrows.

"Don't call him that," Bethany said strictly. "Banner is a good man. And no, my nephew's. The little son of a bitch is spending too much time with women and booze and not enough with running Stark Industries."

"Before that," Coulson said halting Bethany. "You're the expert on this. What do you think happened that turned Banner into the Hulk?"  
>"Gamma radiation isn't the key to unlocking the serum," Bethany told him. "Once the serum is perfected, it needs to be stabilized with Vita-Rays, not gamma. I figured I'd have more time to convince Banner of this before it was experimented. Although I can't blame him, considering I did the same thing once."<p>

Clint frowned, "Yeah, but that was years ago and you're still the same. Do you think that means there won't be a way to undo the effects on Banner?"

Bethany pulled her growing locks out from her face and into a ponytail. "I don't know. We've never tried to undo what happened to me. I wouldn't even know where to begin."

* * *

><p><em>May 19th, 2010<em>

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN MISSING?!" Bethany yelled at Fury.

"I'm sorry Miss. Stark, but they can't find him any-"

"Get me a fucking plane, I'll go find him myself," Bethany insisted. "I'm taking Romanoff, Barton and Coulson with me."

"No," Fury corrected her. "This isn't something we can get involved with, Agent Stark."

"Like HELL it isn't! The founder's son is MIA and you think it's okay to just sit around and do _nothing_?"

Fury sighed and nodded, "I'll call the military and see if I can get you on one of the search and rescue teams."

"Thank you," Bethany said before storming out of the room. Outside, Clint was waiting for her.

"Hey," he said stopping her. "He'll be okay."

Bethany shook her head. "That cocky stupid son of a-"

Clint pulled her in for a hug. "He'll be okay. He's strong, just like you."

"I can't lose another family member like this," Bethany whispered against Clint's shoulder. "He's the only family I have left."

"No, he isn't," Clint reassured her, pulling away to look at her. "I'm your family. Nat, Coulson."

Bethany gave a hint of a smile. "I didn't get to say goodbye to Howard. To… to Steve… I'm not letting that happen again."

Clint nodded, "I'll go with you to find him. I'm supposed to be on leave of absence, but what kind of friend would I be to leave you in a time like this?"

* * *

><p><em>August 18th, 2010: Germany<em>

Bethany ran through the halls at top speed. She was aware of all the funny looks she was receiving, but didn't care. She was a girl on a mission and just like all her other ones, she was going to complete it.

Finally reaching her destination, she opened the door and for the first time in years, gave an actual laugh. "Don't you dare do that to me again, kid."

Tony looked up from where doctors were drawing blood from his arm and smiled. "It's about time you got here."

Bethany wrapped him in her arms, not caring that he was covered in dirt and swear and frankly, smelled. "Damn it, Tony. I was so worried. How the hell did you get out?"

Tony ran a hand through his dirty hair, giving her a weary smile. "Mechanics."

Bethany nodded, giving him that special smile reserved only for Tony. "Of course. I hope you know your dad would be proud of you."

"I don't care about his pride," Tony told her. "Only yours."

Bethany leaned in and kissed his forehead. "Well, I'm proud of you. And… I'm sorry I've missed the last six Christmases."

Tony chuckled, "Get me a burger and we're even."

"Deal," Bethany said with a wink. Her phone started to ring and she excused herself. "Director?"

_"I heard about your nephew,_" Fury said. "_Which means you can return to work now."_

Bethany rolled her eyes. "Anxious, are we?"

_"The Hulk made a reappearance,_" Fury explained. "_We need you to come in. Try and find him. He needs a friend to talk to, and you're it. Plus, you're the only one who remotely understands what's happening to him._"

Bethany played with the tip of her long, dark braid. "Look, I need a couple more days with Tony."

_"He'll be under SHIELD observance from now on_," Fury told her. "_We have some interesting footage to show you once you return. Which will be in three days, understood Miss. Stark?"_

* * *

><p><em>October 24th, 2010<em>

Bethany watched as Bruce sat in a corner, keeping to himself. She was waiting for the perfect opportunity to confront him. In the meantime, she was receiving messages from Coulson, who was assigned to bring SHIELD into Tony's life. Bethany wanted to be the one to do it, but Fury insisted that the Hulk was her first priority.

PHIL COULSON: _Situation at hand, but handling it. Relax, Agent Stark. You taught me well._

Bethany read Coulson's message five times before she put her phone away and started toward Bruce. "Long time, no see," she said before sitting next to him.

Bruce jumped slightly, but calmed down as he saw the familiar face. "Bethany..?"

"I'm not here to bring you in, don't worry." Bethany insisted. "I just want to talk."

"How did you find me?" Bruce asked.

"I'm a very resourceful person," Bethany settled with. "Listen, I know you aren't a bad guy. And yes, what happened to you is awful. But I understand. Not to the same degree, but in a way."

"What are you talking about?" Bruce questioned lightly.

Bethany took her pocket knife out and quickly slit her wrist. Before Bruce could panic, the skin had already stitched itself together. "Back in 1941, I was working for Abraham Erskine, the man who originally created the Super Soldier serum. I, like you, tested it on myself. It wasn't ready and ever since then I've had rapid cellular regeneration, meaning that I can't die."

Bruce's eyebrows creased together, "1941… but that would make you…"

"Let's _not_ talk about my age," Bethany insisted. "My point being, we're both phases of the experiment that failed to be successful. The last thing I want to do is lock you up and experiment on you."

"Like you could," Bruce muttered bitterly.

"You can trust me," Bethany insisted. "I've already convinced my organization to lay off of you. It may take a while, but you should be able to escape their eyes, if only for a while. I've been part of SHIELD for _decades_ and they haven't forced me into experiments. Everything has been voluntarily."

Bethany phone started to ring to which she answered immediately. "_Bethany?" _Tony's voice sounded.

"What's up, kid?" She asked giving Bruce an apologetic look.

_"Some guy in an eye patch just approached me saying he's from SHIELD."_

"And…?" Bethany asked waiting for his point.

_"At what point where you going to tell me you worked for a super-secret organization as a spy?"_

Bethany closed her eyes, "I was hoping they'd leave that out. I wanted to tell you myself."

_"Beth," _Tony moaned. _"That's what you do?"_

"Tony, you need to listen to what they tell you to do," Bethany insisted.

It was silent until Tony said _"you know how I feel about following instructions."_

Bethany was on the plane heading back to SHIELD HQ when Fury finally picked up. "You cannot be serious about asking Tony to join the Avengers."

_"Miss. Stark, you watched the footage, correct_?" Bethany looked down at the little screen that was showing her of Tony's recent battle. She had to admit it, the suit was brilliant. They should have thought of it _years_ ago. Clearly perfecting the serum was a once in a life time thing. This was something they could easily replicate.

"If my nephew dies on your watch Fury, I will kill you." With that, Bethany hung up.

* * *

><p><em>April 22nd, 2011<em>

Bethany watched as Tony, so much like his father, played the show-off on the stage. Since his accident, Tony and Bethany talked every day. Now that he knew what she really did, he understood her absence from a big portion of his life. Together, they decided a good way for Tony to show that Stark Industries wasn't just weapons—considering Tony made the decision to eliminate that division all together—was through an expo. Thus, the Stark World Exposition was revived.

Natasha came up beside her, smirking. "How can one man be so cocky?"

"He had Howard for a father and me for an aunt," Bethany explained. "Fury told me about your undercover mission. I wish you all the luck in the world."

"Think he'll buy it?"

Bethany watched as Tony entertained the crowd. _No falling cars today_. "Tony is a brilliant man, but he can be quite idiotic on some occasions."

"Good to know," Natasha said with a smile. "I don't know. I think it'll be fun."

"He's a sucker for redheads," Bethany mentioned. "You'll have him under your thumb in no time."

"Any word from Banner?"

Bethany checked her phone again. "No, but I'm not worried. I told him to lay low, and that's what he's been doing. Every couple of months we catch wind of an accident, but we've been able to keep it out of the news, so that's good."

"Is it just me, or are our jobs getting more complicated by the day?"

Bethany tilted her head, watching as Tony danced around the stage. "'Tash, when you've had the same job for almost seventy years, complicated is _exactly_ what you want from it. Better than boring."

* * *

><p><em>April 31, 2011<em>

"Sir, don't you think Agent Stark has the right to know?" Coulson asked Fury regarding Tony's palladium poisoning.

Fury shook his head, "I've sent her on a mission that requires her full attention. Until such time where Stark is critical, she will stay on task."

Coulson nodded, not really agreeing but having no other say. He knew that Bethany wouldn't forgive any of them if Tony died and they didn't tell her they knew about his illness. But he knew that her assignment was top secret and time sensitive. Her and Agent Barton had left without a word and had been gone for almost two weeks. Bethany had missed everything regarding Tony's current predicament.

Tony was currently in lock down in the basement, Coulson watching _Super Nanny_ like it was nobody's business. Bethany always rolled her eyes at his choice of entertainment, but he didn't care. It was relaxing to watch and it always made him laugh.

Half way through an episode, he got a call from Bethany. "Done the mission?"

_"No, but Hawk and I are headed to New Mexico. There's an 0-8-4."_

"Seriously?" Coulson asked, muting the TV and sitting up straight.

"_Yeah, seriously."_ Bethany answered. "_You coming or not? Fury said I could have my choice of agents."_

"You're leading this mission?" He asked with a smile.

"_Yeah, apparently they want me busy. I don't know why, but at this point, I don't care. I'll see you soon?"_

* * *

><p>"What took you so long?" Bethany asked at the meeting place. She was reading up on Tony's latest battle at the Stark Expo, greatly annoyed that she had been kept out of it, but knowing that an 0-8-4 was something to be excited about.<p>

"There was a robbery at a gas station on my way up," Coulson shared. "Naturally, I got involved."

"Naturally," Clint said with his usual flair. "Guess what the 0-8-4 is."

Coulson took his glasses off and squinted in the distance. A bunch of men were gathered around it, pulling. "What?"

"A hammer," Bethany said making a face at the damage left at the expo.

"A… a hammer?" Coulson asked. Bethany nodded before giving the team the signal to clear out the area so they could secure it. "Well, this beats _Super Nanny_."

Bethany looked up at him with a single brow raised.

* * *

><p>Bethany looked at the man in question. He was big. And she meant <em>big<em>. His long blond hair and blue eyes showed that this wasn't just an ordinary man. "What do you think?"

Bethany turned to Coulson and shrugged. "I thought Steve had a body of a God, but this guy is packing."

"You're saying he's bigger than Captain Rogers?" Coulson asked, always excited to talk about Steve. The conversations about him were few and far between, Bethany avoiding talking about him whenever she could.

Bethany nodded, "Oh yeah. What'd you get out of him?"

"Nothing," Coulson admitted. "I don't know who he is, or what he wants with the hammer, but we'll find out."

"We always do," Bethany agreed. "He doesn't seem like a threat to me though. I think he just really wanted the hammer."

"But why?" Coulson asked. "Why would anyone want it?"

"Clearly it's something special," Bethany responded. "I'm gonna talk to him."

Opening the door, Bethany took the man in. "Hi," she said catching his attention. "I'm Bethany."

"Hello fair lady," he answered softly.

Bethany waited for more before crossing her arms. "Do you have a name?"

The man looked up before briefly saying "Thor."

Bethany nodded, sucking on her bottom lip. "What importance is the hammer to you?"

"Mjolnir," Thor corrected.

"Right," Bethany said nodding. "That… wait," she took a step forward. She felt herself go back to 1946, doing research with Howard on the blue cube he found when looking for Steve. They were lead to a mythology book, the object revealed to be the Tesseract. Bethany claimed it all to be nonsense, but actually took a slight interest in it and finished the book.

Her phone began to ring as she put everything together in her head. Looking at the message, it was from Fury. There was a problem with the Hulk. Again.

* * *

><p>Before heading out to deal with the Hulk situation, Bethany made her way over to the building her team raided in order to get any and all evidence based on the strange happenings in New Mexico. Knocking on the door, she waited as a brown haired women with glasses and ruby red lips opened the door.<p>

"We didn't order pizza," She said in a humorous way.

"Darcy Lewis?" Bethany asked.

"Depends whose asking," She responded.

"Bethany Coulson of SHIELD," Bethany responded, once again borrowing Coulson's last name. It was well known that Howard Stark had a little sister named Bethany, even in today's society. _Better be safe than sorry_. "I believe this belongs to you."

Darcy smiled as Bethany gave her the mp3 SHIELD confiscated earlier. "Awesome!"

"I'd just like to apologize for us taking it in the first place," Bethany told her. "In return, we've added a thousand dollars to your personal music library for you to download those pirated songs legally."

Darcy chuckled nervously, "Yeah about that-"

"It's okay," Bethany assured her. "We have more important issues on our hands. Again, we're sorry. Have a good night."

"No wait!" Darcy cried out. "Dude, I have to pay you back or something. Like coffee or a movie."

Bethany gave a hint of a smirk, "I like you."

* * *

><p><em>April 15th, 2012<em>

Bethany was exhausted. She was losing track of time and place once again. Fury kept her on the Hulk's trail as much as they could, but her services was needed elsewhere. Her theory about Thor ended up being correct, as Coulson took over her role as leader when the Hulk situation arose.

She currently sat in the middle of the hellicarrier hallway, legs spread out, looking at the wall. "It's been a hell of a year," Clint said before sitting opposite of her.

"You can say that again," Bethany mumbled.

"When's the last time you had a vacation?" Clint asked, putting his hand on her boot.

Bethany frowned, "When's the last time Tony didn't have an issue, the Hulk didn't rampage around a city and mythical gods didn't have temper tantrums that required my assistance?" Clint gave a sympathetic smile. "At least my vacation days are adding up."

"Yeah?" Clint asked, playing with the zipper on her boot.

"Four-hundred and seventy-five," Bethany said pulling her foot away from him. "Four eighty next month."

"The real question is; are you going to use them?"

Bethany sighed, shaking her head. "SHIELD is my whole life. There's nothing else. I can't get married and have kids. I can't really make friends outside SHIELD anyways. I'm stuck here, never moving forward."

"You're not going to be here forever," Clint promised. "One day, you'll realize there's more to life than just working."

Bethany's phone started to ring loudly. Pulling it out, moving her legs up close to her body and leaning her forehead against her knees as she answered it. "Hello?"

"_They found him_," were Fury's response.

"Who found who?" Bethany asked closing her eyes.

_"A Russian oil team,"_ Fury clarified patiently. _"They found Captain Rogers."_


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Steve blinked twice. The woman in front of him was so familiar, but at the same time, so foreign. Her green eyes seemed to pop with color from the thick and dark black lining. Her hair was stick straight and scrapped away from her face and into a long ponytail, the dark strands hanging down her shoulder. Her frame was the same, average height and weight but with her illegal curves showcased brilliantly in a tight leather jacket and pants.

He would have thought it wasn't her at all, but it was her diamond earrings that told him it was. "Bethany?" He said in almost a whisper. She lowered her gun, taking a couple steps towards him.

"I told them not to do that. The little show? I told them you weren't an idiot. You'd think after over sixty years of service, they'd actually listen to me."

_Sixty years of service? _"Beth, what are you talking about?" He asked, looking around at the packed streets, colors shining bright off boards and buildings.

"Steve…" Bethany said softly, placing her gun back in the holster by her hip. "You crashed the plane into the water and froze. You've… you've been asleep for seventy years."

Steve looked around again at the strange lights and colors. He had to admit, if this was her idea of a joke, she was going above and beyond to pull it off. "This isn't funny Stark," he finally let out.

He watched as a small sympathetic smile tugged at her lips. The action looked like it was causing her a lot of physical pain, as if smiling wasn't something she ever did. "I'm not lying Steve. It's… the 21st century. 2012, to be exact." Steve studied her again. If it had been seventy years, how did she look so… perfect? "I'll explain everything, but we should head back to headquarters to get some privacy."

She outstretched her hand, offering it to him. Steve looked at it for a second, recognizing the dainty but calloused limb. He captured it with both of his hands, studying it carefully, making sure it really was her. Turning his gaze to her eyes, he saw so much. Pain. Love. Heartbreak. It was all there. It _was_ Bethany.

He quickly pulled her into his embrace, needing her close. "I thought I'd never see you again," Steve whispered against her ear. Slowly, he felt her arms wrap around his waist and he felt whole again. Having her in his arms, her scent still the same, after everything. "Did Peggy tell you?"

He looked down at her, her face looking up at his, "She didn't need to. I-I was there. I just couldn't bring myself to say goodbye."

"I'm just grateful you're here now," Steve told her, pushing all feelings of hostility away. He had honestly thought he would never see her again, but now that she was right there, in his arms, the past didn't seem to matter as much.

"Agent Stark?" A voice came from behind. Bethany turned and nodded.

"We need to go," Bethany said, pulling away from him. "Steve this is Director Nick Fury."

Steve held out his hand to shake the Director's. "Welcome back Captain Rogers. We need to get back to headquarters for some debriefing."

Steve nodded, following Bethany back into the building. He couldn't help but look around at all the sharp features. Everything had a blue and silver hue to it, looking sleek and shiny at all angles. He stayed close to Bethany's side, who was following Fury to one of the debriefing rooms.

Gesturing for Steve to sit, Fury pulled Bethany away to the corner and they began talking in hushed voices. Steve studied Bethany closely. He still couldn't believe that he was getting another chance with her. But taking a closer look, it really didn't look like Bethany at all. Her movement weren't as animated as they had been before, her face barely showing emotion at all. And she didn't seem to radiate beauty anymore. It was a deep, dark, alluring type of sexuality that he had never seen before. Swallowing hard, he turned his gaze to his hands and focused on them until Bethany took the chair next to him.

"Welcome to SHIELD, Captain Rogers," Director Fury said from the head of the table.

"Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division," Bethany clarified. "The initials weren't a coincidence. Howard made sure of that."

Steve felt his heartstrings pull a little at being remembered through the years. "Howard Stark created this company shortly after you went missing," Fury continued. "We've assigned Miss. Stark to reacquaint you with the world. SHIELD will pull out all stops to help. Luckily for you, Mr. Stark set up a bank account for you, as well as put all of your possessions in storage."

"He did all that?" Steve asked, looking to Bethany.

"He never gave up hope," Bethany responded with a hint of a smile. "Since we won the war," she informed him. "and you spent more than enough money on war bonds, plus years of it being carefully invested and collecting interest… let's just say you'll be comfortable for the next few years or so."

Steve's mouth fell open a little, baffled at the idea of having money, and not just some money, but enough so that he didn't need to immediately get a job. "SHIELD will provide you with all the necessary documents needed to live in today's society. Miss. Stark will help you in finding a place to live, vehicle, clothes."

"Thank you," Steve said to both Fury and Bethany.

"In return," Fury continued. "We may require your services in the future."

Steve nodded, "I guess that's fair."

"I have a prior engagement to attend," Fury added. "I trust you'll be in good hands. As for you, Agent Stark, your attendance is required for Project PEGASUS at the beginning of the month, as per usual."

"What about my other assignments?" Bethany asked, thinking about how thin she had been spread within the last year.

"Agent Romanoff and Barton have already agreed to lighten your plate when needed. Unless the situation requires your and only your immediate attention, one of them will take over for you." Fury then walked over to Steve, who stood out of his chair. "I wish you luck, Captain Rogers."

The two men shook hands before it was just Bethany and Steve. "Project PEGASUS?"

"Top secret," Bethany responded. "I would tell you, but then I'd have to kill you."

Steve raised his eyebrows at the playful tone she used. It sounded out of practice, but so much like the girl he used to know, he could almost see past the dark hair, clothes and makeup. "There's no sense in staying here," Bethany said getting up from her chair. "It'll probably be more comforting in my apartment anyways, considering it's not as… in your face, let's say."

Steve nodded and followed Bethany out the building. He couldn't help but take everything in. The colors. The lights. The _people_. Why was that man's hair green? Is that girl wearing any clothes at _all_ or just a belt as a skirt? Was that… was that a _kid_ on a leash? And what was the rectangular object in their hands? The one they all seemed to be looking at as if their lives depended on them.

Bethany opened up the backseat of one of the SHIELD escort cars and gave Steve's shoulder a tap, telling him to get in. "Ladies first," Steve said absentmindedly as he took in the scenery again. Bethany shook her head, smile stretching across her face at the chivalry that undoubtedly was missing in today's society.

Steve followed her in and Bethany told the agent in the front seat to drive to her apartment. He was supposed to be Steve's security detail in the new world, but Bethany had pointed out to Director Fury that he was Captain _fucking_ America and he didn't need a security detail. The security detail needed him.

"I can't decide if this is all amazing, or frightening," Steve admitted as he looked out the tinted windows. "I thought the things at the World of Tomorrow Expo were impressive. This? This is just…"

Bethany couldn't help but stare. The very fact that he was sitting there, breathing, talking, _living_, was something that haunted both her nightmares and dreams. He was more beautiful then she remembered; strong jaw, full bottom lip, long black lashes and luxurious blond hair, still coiffed perfectly. All of these features he had prior to the procedure, all features she loved from the start.

She had been there the entire time. As soon as the news reached her ears, she boarded a jet plane and made her way over. She had been there when they freed him from the ice, defrosted his limbs and transferred him to the New York building. She had been the one caress his face, whisper to him that he'd be fine as the doctors established that yes; he was alive. She was the one, with trained fingers, to free him from the complexity of his suit while the others struggled. She was the one who held his hand attempting to warm it with her body heat like he had once before for her. She hadn't left his side until Director Fury asked to speak to her privately.

Sensing her stares, Steve turned his intense blue eyes to her. "What?" He asked with a hint of a smile.

"Just having a hard time believing that you're here and I'm not dreaming," Bethany said quietly before clearing her throat and speaking louder. "I hope you don't mind staying at my apartment until further notice."

"No," Steve responded, looking through the window again at the streets he once knew, but were now as foreign as Bethany's appearance. "In fact, I don't think I want you out of my grasps. Not until I actually have a grasp on reality."

Bethany's façade broke, a real smile gracing her face. "I guess this mean we're on talking terms again."

Steve turned his head and gave her his special, adorable smile, one she knew was only for her. "Too bad it had to be me almost dying and seventy years in between our last exchange to do it."

Steve reached over for her hand and intertwined their fingers. Bethany smiled again at how perfectly they fit together. She knew now that she loved him and ultimately would do anything for him. While she never quite got over him, never once lighting any romantic flames, she had time to settle over the years. To him, it was all like yesterday.

"Beth?" Steve said quietly, capturing her attention. "Where do we go from here?"

She knew that while she loved him, knew he loved her, she wasn't the same. She had killed, cheated and lied her way through the last seventy years and that girl he fell in love with was trapped inside, begging to be let out but inevitably too ashamed of what she had done to actually do it. Maybe it was time to let her out, face the guilt and cope with everything. Maybe this was her fresh start.

Bethany let a long breath of air escape her lips. "I think we need to start over."

Steve frowned but after a second, shook his head. "I can't just forget everything, Beth."

"I know," she admitted. "But I've had a lifetime without you, and you may not still feel the same way about me." He went to open his mouth, but Bethany put a hand up to stop him. "I have a mental illness called bipolar disorder. Because of it, the entire time we were together, my emotions were wild. It's hard to explain, but I've spent the last sixty years on medication, but more importantly, trying to find out who I am. You may not like who I've become."

"But you're okay now?" Steve asked, truly concerned about her illness.

"Yes," Bethany answered. "My emotions levelled out years ago. For the most part, I can control them. But Steve… I just want to let you know that the girl who—who lied to you, she wasn't me. I've spent every day since you went under regretting my decision."

Steve took her other hand and brought them to his lips. It felt good to hear that she regretted her decision, not just because of their fallout, but for the actual act of what she did. "It's going to take me a while to forgive you completely, but I have every intention on working towards this. I really believe this is our second chance. I wanted nothing more than to see you again, have another chance. Find a way to make us work, despite us both being stubborn."

"I understand," Bethany rushed to assure. "I have forever to wait, and I will."

Steve leaned in and kissed her forehead. "I hate to keep you waiting longer."

"I've felt more myself in the last hour then the last sixty-seven years. I don't mind," She told him truthfully. Just being around him was therapeutic enough. "My proposition is you getting to know me all over again and learn, hopefully, to trust me again. But as much as I would like to jump back into a relationship, I just don't think it'll be a good idea until we're _sure_. That this is what we want and need."

Steve took in a deep breath but nodded. "A part of me feels stupid because-"

"I get it," Bethany interrupted. "We're being given a second chance and we're throwing it away. I just… you need more time to mourn while I've been given _too_ much time. We're just not on the same page."

"Were we ever?" Steve asked honestly.

Bethany chuckled at the truth in his words. She could see the SHIELD agent from the front seat give her a bewildered look through the mirror. He had never seen the fearless Bethany Stark laugh, smile or speak with such emotion, but here she was, exposing herself to this man. Bethany tried to ignore his stares. It felt good to smile, laugh and just overall feel a glow overtake her. When she was with Tony, she got a glimmer of that happiness, but with Steve, regardless of everything, it was full blown happiness. She felt so complete.

"Not really," Bethany answered. "But seventy years has given me a long time to feel guilty. I want to make everything up to you. But I really think you need to get to know me again." She took in a deep breath. "I honestly thought you'd be upset to see me. That's why I wasn't there when you woke up."

His brow creased, his eyes slightly darkening. "There was no one else I'd rather have wanted to see, Beth. You were my last thoughts. And in a way, they were all happy ones."

"That doesn't change the fact that I lied to you," Bethany insisted. "What I did was unforgivable."

"But I understand now… In a way. I'm going to make a real effort to forgive the unforgivable because I know we're better together than apart. Beth, I spent those last few months miserable not just because of Bucky and… and the baby, but also because I just wanted you to comfort me."

Bethany opened her mouth to respond when the driver spoke up. "Miss. Stark, we're here."

Bethany nodded, getting out of the car. Steve followed her, once again, as she walked up the stairs of her Brooklyn apartment. Steve had to admit, she was right about the location not being as 'in your face'. In fact, this area of town looked almost like it remained the same through the years. The building looked new, but with old-styled materials, staying true to the browns of the forties. The only thing giving it away was the cars on the street and the people in them.

"It's not much," Bethany said when she opened the door to her apartment and gestured for Steve to go in. "I work a lot, so I don't spend much time here."

Steve surveyed the room as Bethany closed the door and threw her keys in a ceramic bowl. "Molly?" She called out, making an odd sucking sound with her teeth. Steve frowned, but soon a cat ran out from one of the rooms to Bethany's feet. She picked the cat up and gave her a kiss on the head. Steve couldn't help but smile. She was wrong; the Bethany he knew was still there. But only truly present in her own home.

That much was clear, as the apartment wasn't as bare as Steve would have thought. Instead, the walls had picture frames, dozens of them, the book shelves stuffed to their fullest capacity and the kitchen table covered with wires, pieces of metal and other things Steve couldn't begin to understand.

There was also a lot of objects Steve didn't know what they were. All of them were black and sleek, some with green or blue lights reading the time of day. "Sit and make yourself comfortable," Bethany said as she filled up Molly's dish. "The spare bedroom has been doubling as my lab for the last little while, so you'll have to stay on the couch until I clean it up. But it pulls out into a bed. Or you can have my room if you want, and I'll sleep out here."

"No," Steve responded immediately. "I'll take the couch. It's your home."

Bethany nodded before putting the cat down and walking over to one of the rooms. "I'm just going to change and then we can start on reintroducing you to this world."

Steve nodded as she disappeared behind the doors. Slowly settling onto the couch, Steve ran his hands over his face. Everything was so unbelievable. There he was in 2012, perfectly healthy, young and fit with Bethany who was also all these things. He had survived the crash, she time and they weren't celebrating in the way he thought they would. His first thought upon waking up in the 1940's styled room was how much he wanted to hold Bethany, kiss her like his life depended on it and make love to her until the end of time. But as the surroundings settled in and he realized it wasn't 1940, things changed.

Noticing a picture on the little table beside the couch, he picked it up and studied it. It was colored, but clearly not from recent based on the length of Bethany's hair. There she stood with a man just a little taller than her, him kissing her face. The smile she wore was small, but evident that she was happy. Steve tried to determine who the brown haired man was, but couldn't figure it out.

Molly jumped up on the couch next to Steve, nuzzling her head against his thigh. Steve reached over and gave her head a little scratch as he picked up another picture frame, also in color. This one had Bethany and a redhead drinking wine, both in mid conversation. Getting up from the couch, he went over to the wall, looking at the other pictures.

One of her and an almost bald man pointing at a hammer, giving it a questioning look. Another of her holding a little boy, him sleeping soundly in her arms. He recognized the next one, the picture from his compass of Bethany and Howard in an issue of _Life_. He touched her face gently before moving to the next set of pictures on the opposite wall. Many of them had people Steve didn't know, even the black and white ones. He came across one of Bethany and Peggy, Peggy looking to be in her mid-forties. There was two more of the mysterious brown haired man, three of her and Howard, one, surprisingly, of her and Bucky, and one of her and a red lipped woman at a bar, but the picture being in color and the length of Bethany's hair led him to believe it was recent.

"Something you learn about time," Bethany said walking back into the room and standing next to Steve, "Is that you need to photograph _everything_."

"Seems like you've had a lot of important people in your life," Steve said looking at the brown haired man more intently.

"That's Tony," Bethany told him, a small smile on her face. "Howard's son. And a fucking genius."

Steve, as always, cringed a little when Bethany swore. Sometimes it was a turn on, but when used in situations like this, he found it to be one of her less attractive qualities. "Howard had a son?"

"Him and Maria," Bethany said pointing to one of the photos of herself, Maria and Howard. "They died in a car crash in the nineties."

Steve looked at her face, showing very little emotion. "I'm sorry, Beth. I know how much you loved him."

Bethany nodded, still looking at the photo. "I've come to accept the fact that everyone around me will die one day, and I'll have to watch it happen. In case you haven't noticed, I don't age."

Steve reached out and took a strand of her hair in his hand. She had let it down from the pony tail and it hung around her body like a curtain. She had also changed out of her skin tight clothes and into grey baggy pants and a black sweater that hung over one shoulder. "Will you be like this forever?"

Bethany shrugged. "Some of the scientists at SHIELD think they could undo it, but healing is useful in my job description."

"Which is what, exactly?" Steve asked, twirling the brown strand in between his fingers. It was so much silkier than his memory served.

"Eliminating threats," Bethany said strongly. "We take the world as it is, and try to make it better. The war may be over, but more have broke out. Some the public doesn't even know about."

"Sounds dangerous," Steve whispered, letting her hair fall from his fingers.

Bethany smirked, "And exciting. You hungry? I'm hungry."

Steve didn't have enough time to answer before Bethany bounded over to the couch. Steve followed suit and watched as she took that odd rectangular thing he saw everyone on the streets have and hold it to her ear.

"Hey," she said into it. "This is Bethany Coulson. Can I have my usual order, times four? Yes, four. Perfect, thank you. And remember; pepperoni on _top_ of the cheese. Okay, see you then."

She lowered the rectangle, putting it on the table. "They say thirty minutes, but they really mean thirty-one."

"Bethany Coulson?" Steve asked, his voice trying not to sound too disappointed. In all honesty, he could blame her if she moved on. It had been almost seventy years, but the thought of her being with anyone else made his heart ache.

Bethany sighed, "The world knows that Howard Stark had a little sister named Bethany. I use the last name Coulson to avoid any questions. Phil Coulson is my field partner at SHIELD. "

Steve nodded, feeling a surge of happiness before pointing at the rectangle object, _everyone _had. While he made the connection that it was a communication device, it looked like it was a lot more than that. "What is that?"

Bethany looked at her phone and sighed. "Right. Maybe I should teach you what all this stuff is. Oh, by the way, SHIELD is supposed to send over a package tonight with all your identification and stuff, but they've also complied some documents about some of the people you knew, just to give you a heads up on what happened to them. Of course, I'm here to fill in any blanks, but they know that we have a lot to cover. And I do mean a _lot_."

Steve nodded as he picked up the rectangular object. "Well, can we start with this?"  
>"It's a cell phone," Bethany said, crossing her legs on the couch. "It works just like a telephone, but it's smaller, no external wires and it does a <em>whole<em> lot more." She took the phone and started to show him some of the features.

"And what does this do?" Steve asked pressing the music app button.

"Brings you to my music library," Bethany answered as her playlists opened.

"_This_ plays music?" Steve asked, not believing her words.

Bethany scrolled down the lists, picking a song. _"Two days past 18, he waiting for the bus in his army greens…"_

Steve's brows creased in amazement. "What else does it do?"

"You ready to see the greatest invention known to man?" Bethany said with a smile on her face, letting the music stay on as she opened the internet. "This is called Google. It tells you whatever you want. Well, I mean basically whatever you want. Any knowledge recorded."

"You've got to be kidding," was his response.

Bethany chuckled. "_Never gonna hold a hand of another guy. Too old for him they told her. Waiting for the love of a travelling soldier."_

"Nope. Here," she said as she typed in 'World War Two timeline', clicking the first link and showing it to Steve. "You can't trust everything on here, but for the most part, it's pretty reliable."

"It's so small," Steve said, holding the phone up closer. Bethany leaned over to the coffee table, bringing her laptop to a rest on his lap. Opening it and leaning over to type in her password, the screen lit up. Steve put the phone down and looked at the photo on the screen. It was one of the ones from the wall, of her and the almost bald man with the hammer.

Suddenly the picture disappeared and the Google homepage came to life. "Type in whatever and then press Google Search. I'll get into shortcut keys when you've mastered the basics." Steve thought long and hard before typing in 'Bethany Stark'.

Bethany showed him the mouse pad and he clicked the first link. It was her Wikipedia page, the picture being her with Howard at the World of Tomorrow Expo. Steve read what the article said about her, realizing what Bethany said about not all of it being true. There were things that said she had a fling with Clark Gable in 1943, something he knew to be false, and that Bethany served as a nurse overseas. The biggest lie of all was the section on her death.

"People started to notice I wasn't aging," Bethany explained. "Howard, McCain and I staged my death and I went into hiding."

"McCain?" Steve questioned as he read about her fake, yet heartbreaking story about her plane crashing into the Atlantic. Her public death had been mirrored to be like his.

"My first SHIELD partner," Bethany explained, taking the laptop back and opening some of her files, showing him a picture of McCain. "He died a couple months after."

"How many partners have you had?" Steve asked, curious as he studied McCain's features. More importantly, the close proximity he had with Bethany in the picture. He felt a sense of jealously creep up.

"I've lost count," Bethany admitted. "Right now, I have three people that I do missions with. Natasha Romanoff, Clint Barton and Phil Coulson. You'll meet them soon enough, since we see each other more often than not. Actually, I know you'll meet Coulson very soon, considering he's the captain of the Captain America fan club."

Steve chuckled. "Fan club?"  
>"You've been franchised," Bethany explained opening Google again and typing in 'Captain America'. "Trading cards, lunch boxes, action figures. And of course, the comic books and movies continued after you went MIA. Sometimes I'm convinced Coulson only asked to be my partner so he could get every piece of dirt on you out of me."<p>

"And?" Steve asked as he looked at the pictures on the screen.

"All your _dirty_ little secrets are safe with me," She teased, sending him a wink.

Right before the pizza arrived, Steve's SHIELD package did. Inside was not only the identification promised by Fury, but credit and debit cards in his name, a brand new phone, laptop, two pairs of khaki pants, two plaid shirts and some sweat pants to sleep in, as well as some boxers and socks.

Inside the package was also some files for Steve to look over, giving him brief understanding of what he had missed over the years. Steve went to start on the files when the pizza came and his hunger took over. Bethany watched as he ate all but the three pieces she inhaled, smirk on her face the entire time. Steve had expressed his amazement on the taste, his first meal of his new life. Bethany realized she should have cooked him something, but pizza was so much easier, and a necessity in a busy life like hers. Idle chit chat was exchanged, Steve curious towards Tony.

"I have a feeling you two won't get along," Bethany admitted, taking a sip of her water. "He's like Howard, times a million. He's conceited, cocky and self-centered. But he's also a genius and my nephew, so he has _some_ redeeming qualities in that. Plus, he's part of the few people who have made me laugh, even when I don't want to."

Steve then asked if he could wash up, which Bethany led him to the shower, handing him a fresh towel and razor. She knew how he liked to be freshly shaved to maintain a sophisticated image. She wouldn't judge, but she wouldn't mind if he let his facial hair grow out just a little. But then again, she wasn't in a position to ask him to do things for her.

As he washed up, Bethany pulled out the couch into a bed, dressing it with her favorite bed sheets before crawling into it and turning on the TV. She channeled surfed until she landed on _Friends_. She had seen every episode through the years, but it had a special place in her life because it made her forget her own life and just live for the comedy.

Molly jumped up onto the couch, settling into her lap. "You miss me, you silly kitty?" She cooed as she rubbed her forehead against the fur ball's. Molly had been a Christmas gift from Tony the year prior, and while she really questioned Tony's belief that she could take care of a living thing, Bethany was glad she kept her. Molly didn't expect much from Bethany except for a clean litter box, food and water and the occasional back scratch. And even when Bethany was gone on a mission, she would get a SHIELD agent to drop in and feed Molly for her. Sometimes a neighbor if she got the opportunity to ask. But most importantly, it was nice to come home to someone, especially someone who wouldn't judge Bethany if she wanted to sit crying in her pajamas, watch old movies while eating cold pizza and Ben & Jerry's for a week straight. That typically consisted of her 'vacations' SHIELD insisted she take. Apparently it was a part of some law or policy.

_"No actually, I took it off and then I drew it back on." _Rachel said as the bathroom door opened. Bethany turned her head slightly to see Steve come into the room in his sweatpants and the same SSR shirt as earlier, his hair combed but still wet. He froze as he saw the TV screen, eyes widening.

"It's called a TV," Bethany told him, patting the spot beside her. "It's short for television."

Steve settled beside her, eyes never moving from the screen. "Like your own personal movie theatre?"

"Yeah," Bethany nodded. "But more than that." Bethany started to explain as much as she could about television shows, cable, channels and even personal recording systems. She was sure the majority of it went over his head, but knew he'd get it. Eventually.

"Don't worry," she assured. "I bought Peggy the same systems as me for Christmas two years ago. Took her almost four months to learn how to use it."

"Peggy… Is she..?"

"Oh, she's still around," Bethany said with a smirk. "We'll have to go see her soon. Well, when you're comfortable with it, I mean. She's… well, she's old."

Steve nodded slowly, watching the screen again. _"And I wrote a song for us: This hand is your hand. This hand is my hand. Oh wait that's your hand. No wait, it's my hand…"_ Bethany chuckled at Joey's antics.

As the show went on, Steve chuckled at some of the basic jokes, like Monica yelling at Chandler to pick a number, claiming it was his only job and when Rachel drunkenly tried to call Vegas. Especially when a drunk Ross went to sit down, there not being anything and falling to the ground, only to ask Joey if he was okay. It warmed Bethany's heart to see him settling in like that so quickly.

But her heart broke as he asked simple questions about pop culture and the characters. There was a _lot_ that he was missing. Even when _Everybody Loves Somebody_ came on, it had the tune in which Steve was familiar with, but came out after the war ended. Finally, Bethany decided to open her personal recordings and see if there was anything there that Steve would be able to feel at home with. Scrolling down, she smiled as the words _The Wizard of Oz_ highlighted.

Steve was grateful with her selection. He was in desperate need of something familiar. He could watch it and almost forget everything. Everything was so overwhelming, this gave him a sense of calm. Half way through the movie, he felt Bethany's head fall onto his shoulder, the girl fast asleep.

Steve carefully traced the side of her face, studying her features intently with the light from the wide TV screen. She had taken off her makeup earlier, her soft sleeping features being the same as he remembered; her nose decorated with soft freckles, brown eyelashes that casted shadows, lips full and parted slightly. He had to admit, seeing her with no red lipstick was something he would have to get used it. Even after their nights together, she always had traces of the red stain on them, yet the majority of it on Steve's lips and body.

That had been her special way of marking him. Both of their bodies healed love bites too fast, and while Steve was always slightly grateful to avoid public embarrassment, he always wanted the world to know that he was hers and she was his.

Her new hair didn't necessarily look bad. In fact, if Steve was just meeting her, it would be one of his favorite features of hers. The only thing was it showed a dark side of her, and he wanted so much to have that carefree, loving girl who jumped out of a tree to prove the point that he would catch her no matter what. He missed the curls. Those curls that he would tangle in his fingers in and spend hours playing with.

He moved her so she laid down on the pillow, yet as soon as she lost contact with him, she turned so her body laid parallel to his, as if she was drawn to him. He knew from the past that she had a hard time sleeping without his body heat near hers. It was like she had got so used to it, without him there was tortuous. Now, with one little taste, she was addicted again. He pushed back some of her hair before sighing and leaning down to kiss her.

The movie ended, and Steve wasn't really sure what to do. Soon it returned to the _Friends _marathon, but remembering some of Bethany's lessons, turned the volume down, still wanting the glow from the TV so he could start on those files. Reaching over to the package, trying not to jostle the bed in any way, he began the journey to fill in the gap of the last sixty-seven years.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Steve reread the paper in his hand for the tenth time. The sunlight was now pouring through the curtains, so Steve had turned off the TV. It had taken him a couple seconds to find the right button, but nothing he couldn't handle. In fact, turning off the TV seemed to be the least of his worries.

SHIELD had included a file on Bethany, to which he spent the majority of the night studying. Her file was almost as big as the rest combined, and he knew that there was a lot of things missing. There wasn't much detail towards the assignments she went on, to which Steve assumed was confidential, but they _did_ include her mental evaluations. The pages about her bipolar disorder, the lapses she had over the years, the medications and treatments she endured and the very shocking fact that the scientists at SHIELD believed that the serum running through her veins may just very well be the reason towards her illness.

_That's ironic_, Steve thought as he reread the sentence again. The very thing keeping her from getting hurt physically was hurting her mentally. There were _pages_ about the serum she used. Apparently a lot of tests had been run on her throughout the years, whether to cure or duplicate, Steve wasn't sure. But after reading a brief history on America since he went under, Steve realized that they were desperate for people like him, people like Bethany.

Two long pages explained why Bethany wasn't aging. It really didn't make much sense to him. It might as well be written in a different language since the words were so foreign. He understood the basics though; her body was in a constant flux of regeneration not just when something needed repairing.

Steve looked down at where Bethany was sleeping on her stomach. Her head was looking in the opposite direction of him, but her body still laid close to his. He was starting to get used to the dark hair. It was the stick straightness of it however that he didn't like. Sighing, he put down Bethany's file and opened Tony's. His was almost as complex as Bethany's, but he had barely put a dent in it. For some reason, Steve didn't like him. There was just something in the way his eye's shone in the picture that rubbed him the wrong way.

"_Running as fast as he can! Iron Man lives again!" _Steve jumped slightly at the loud sound coming from Bethany's phone. She too jumped up, completely disoriented before moving to a sitting position with her back towards him, picking up the phone.

"What Tony?" She moaned. Steve closed the file, watching her body language. Bethany and her love her sleep surely hadn't changed. Her back was bent over slightly, as if her shoulders were pulling her down. "Not that I know of," Bethany responded into the phone, moving to lie against the end of the bed. "Why are you asking m-" Bethany stopped as she noticed Steve's presence, eyes widening as she slipped off the bed. "Shit!" Bethany yelled as her body met the floor. Steve quickly leaned over.

"You okay?" He whispered.

"One minute, kid," Bethany said into the phone before pulling it away from her ear. "I forgot you were here," she admitted sheepishly.

Steve gave an apologetic smile, before getting out of the bed and help her to her feet. "You're bleeding."

Bethany looked where her arm nicked one of the springs of the sofa bed. "Typical." She pressed the phone back to her ear. "Tony, can I call you back?... Fine, then I'm putting you on speaker phone."

She put the phone on a table and quickly went for paper towels. "You'll have to tap into the city's power grid in order to connect the arc reactor to the tower," Bethany said loudly as she pressed some towels up against her arm and then handing the rest to Steve who began to clean up the little puddle on the ground.

_"Pepper's convinced that's illegal," _Tony's voice sounded through.

"And since when does that matter to you?" Bethany asked as she looked at her arm to determine if it had stopped bleeding.

_"You know Pepper. All about doing things the right way."_

"You're activating a clean energy protect," Bethany reminded him. "If Stark Tower is able to operate on the arc reactor, as only a prototype, then you can expand this and possibly save planet earth. Theoretically, the government shouldn't give a damn."

_"You hear that Pep?" _Tony said. _"I'm not the only one who thinks this way._"

_"Tony, I'm still calling the city_," Pepper's voice responded.

Bethany shook her head, chuckling. "If they say no, _then_ you can do it. They shouldn't even notice. It's not like you're stealing their power."

_"Thank you!" _Tony cried out. _"Listen, what you doing today? I need your input. Plus, I'm starting a new suit, and two hands are better than one."_

"Four hands," Bethany corrected. "Unless we'll be doing something with left ones."

"_Eating_," Tony said naturally. "_So?"_

Bethany looked at Steve who stood up with the blood soiled paper towels. "I can't. I have… things to do."

_"Things? Since when? I thought you said you're done work until like May._"

"I said I'll be in New York until May," Bethany corrected. "I'm kinda on an assignment."

Bethany moved over to the garbage bin and threw out her paper towels, gesturing for Steve to do the same before picking up her phone and putting it to her ear. "Kid, we'll have lunch soon. I promise…. Okay, I'll call you later. Bye"

Bethany put her phone down, gathering her hair in her hands. "Sleep well?" Steve asked, as she went to the kitchen and began to scramble through the shelves.

"Yeah, actually," Bethany said, stilling momentarily. "It's been a really long time since I've slept through the night. What about you?"

Steve gave a small smile. "I- uh, I read some of the files last night."

"And?" Bethany asked, pulling out instant pancake batter.

"And it's a lot to read," Steve summarized.

Bethany gave him a sympathetic smile. "Think about it this way, babies can learn everything from scratch. It's a lot, but we'll get through it. This is something I promise, and more importantly, plan to keep. There hasn't been an assignment that I've given up on yet."

Steve nodded, "Is there anything you want me to do?"

Bethany shook her head, "Just sit. Food should be ready soon. Until then, why don't we learn something new? Like… ummm… Oh! Microwave."

* * *

><p>After getting dressed, Steve sat at the table, his new laptop in front of him. Bethany had shown him the basic set up, but Steve went straight to Google. He liked it. It was like a library at the touch of his fingertips. It made gaining knowledge so easy. To begin with, he looked up the Cold War.<p>

Clicking the Wikipedia page, he began to read. Bethany was in the shower, promising to be as quick as she could. They had basically planned out their entire day during breakfast; starting with buying Steve some clothes. She also planned on showing him some of the cities features, going to the book store to pick up some history books and then grocery shopping, since Bethany's fridge consisted of milk, butter and eggs. And cheese. Bethany had stressed that hard when Steve surveyed it.

The bathroom door opened, and Bethany came out wrapped in a big white towel, wet hair hanging down her shoulders. "I'm about to use the hairdryer," She said, holding up the metallic item. "I just wanted to let you know, since it's loud."

Steve nodded as she turned to disappear behind the doors again, looking at her tanned, leaned legs. He remembered the first time he touched them, surprised at how soft they were. He took in a deep breath before turning his attention back to the laptop screen as a whirring sound started from the bathroom. Steve typed 'hairdryer' into the Google search bar.

The words explained it enough, but since Steve figured he shouldn't assume anything in this new world he read the quick description provided. Scrolling down the page, he made the decision to look up 'radio'. There was a device in the corner that looked strangely like a radio but Steve wanted to make sure before he played with any buttons.

Arriving to the conclusion that, yes, that was a radio, Steve went over and pressed almost every button before the music started to play. "_In my mind and in my car, we can't rewind, we've gone too far."_

Steve frowned at the weird sounding music, but arrived at the conclusion that music had to have evolved with everything else. The bathroom door opened again, Bethany coming out singing the words to the song. Steve watched as she picked up her phone and looked at it briefly. She was still in her towel, but her hair was completely dry. It had a soft wave to it, and Steve felt the need to run his fingers through it.

"Can you leave your hair like that?" He asked over the music.

Bethany looked up at him before turning to a mirror and studying her hair. "There's a lot of it, though. And it'll frizz up through the day."

"I can braid it," Steve suggested, walking over to her. _Just like… like old times_.

Bethany smiled, looking at Steve's reflection in the mirror. "Okay. Just let me put some clothes on and I'll get a brush."

Steve nodded as she slipped away quickly. The song changed and Steve cringed a little at the sound of it. _"Just shoot for the stars if it feels right, and aim for my heart if you feel like…."_

He sat on the couch—which he and Bethany had folded up before she went to shower—and took a hold of Bethany's phone. Remembering her password—which she told him was 0704—he pressed the music icon and started to scroll through the music on her phone. Some of it, he recognized. Things like Peggy Lee and Benny Goodman.

Getting up, he turned off the radio and played _Minnie the Moocher_. "Oh God," Bethany said coming out of her room in tight blue jeans, a white shirt and an unzipped feminine looking black leather jacket. "I forgot I had this song on here."

"Do you mind?" Steve asked as Bethany passed him the brush.

"Not at all," Bethany responded. "Another thing to add to our list of things to do today; put music on your phone. That way you can have all your own music."

Steve nodded as he began to part her hair. It was incredibly soft in his hands, and he could smell her shampoo linger up to his nose. "Once you're done this, I'm just going to do my makeup and then we can head out."

"Are you going to do the same makeup as yesterday?" He asked, twisting her hair.

Bethany's shoulders quirked. "Why?"

"You look different with your makeup like that, is all." Steve explained.

"Would you prefer red lips and kohl eyeliner?"

Steve finished the braid, handing the end to Bethany who tied it off with a black elastic. "You don't have to."

She turned to him, taking his hands. "Steve, don't shy away from me. Not now. I want to make this easier for you. I know this is all… overwhelming. It's been a while since I've done red lipstick, but I probably have a tube somewhere."

Steve followed her as she went to the bathroom and pulled out a huge bin of makeup from under the sink. She began to sort through it, digging even. Feeling Steve's gaze on her, she snapped her head up. He was leaning against the door frame, arms crossed with a slight look of amused judgment on his face. "I go undercover a lot, okay? The amount of times in the last twenty years I've been put under cover as a teenage girl is unhealthy. I know every song by every Disney Channel Pop Princess…" She mumbled the last part, but Steve heard it loud and clear. He decided not to question it.

Looking down again, she saw the familiar green tube. "Aha!" She cried pulling it out and running it over her lips three times.

Steve watched as she lightly smacked her lips together, getting lost in memory.

_"Don't put makeup on," Steve said seeing her settling on her chair at the vanity._

_"Why not?" Bethany asked as she picked up her favorite shade of red._

_Getting out of bed, Steve wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "Because putting on makeup means you're planning on going out. I want you to myself for a little longer."_

_"We both have duties, Captain." Bethany reminded him with a wink._

_"I don't like having to pick you over them, but I can't help it," he murmured against her neck. "Come back to bed."_

_Bethany stood up, trying to work her way out of his grip, only to have Steve follow her movements and keeping her in his grasp. "Steve, I have things to do."_

_"Yes, like joining me back in the bed." He said, pushing down the side of his shirt she was wearing and placing a kiss on her shoulder. "Making those sweet sounds when I do this," he said before lighting digging his teeth into her skin. Bethany leaned against his body, pressing her thighs together as a light whimper escaped her lips._

_"Steve," she complained. "We spent the whole night-"_

_"Bethany, you should know by now that there is nothing that I would rather do than make love to you until the end of time."_

_"Sounds exhausting," Bethany said, fighting to get away from his peppering kisses. "I don't think I have the stamina for that."_

_"Well I do," Steve said, wrapping his arms around her waist and picking her up._

_"Steve!" Bethany cried out annoyed, but he could hear the smile in her voice. "There's a war going on, remember?"_

_"Which only makes me appreciate and crave these moments more," he said, lying her down on the bed. Bethany flipped over onto her back, settling on her elbows._

_"You don't give up do you, Steve?"_

"Steve?" Bethany called out, snapping him out of his trance. "You okay?"

"Yeah," he said shaking the memory out of his head. "Just lost in memory lane is all."

"Okay, just let me pack my bag," Bethany started, slipping her diamond earrings into her lobes. Steve noticed that her eye makeup was now done as well. "And then we can go."

She shimmied her way past him and started packing her bag with her phone, keys, wallet as well as the credit and debit cards in Steve's name. Steve slipped on the shoes SHIELD gave him as Bethany put on a pair of grey heels with velvet bows on the tip.

Leaving the apartment, Bethany moved to lock the door. "BETHHHANNNNNNYYYYY" they heard from down the hall. Bethany turned to the source of the noise, watching as a little boy with a red cape came running down the halls and wrapping himself around her legs.

"Well, hello to you too, Theo," Bethany said looking down at the little boy.

"Look what I got!" Theo said, unwrapping himself from Bethany and showing her his Iron Man action figure.

"Wow, did your Mommy buy you that?" Bethany said, leaning down a little.

"Yup!" Theo said before turning to Steve. "Hi, I'm Theo. I'm four and I'm a superhero."

Steve raised his eyebrows, amused. Moving to lean on the haunches of his feet, eye level with Theo, Steve stuck his hand out. "Steve."

Theo shook it strongly. "Theo! What did I tell you- Oh Bethany!" Steve watched as a beautiful blonde woman walked across the hallway, arms filled with brown bags. "I didn't know you were back."

"Hey Jen," Bethany said with a soft smile. "I just got back yesterday."

"You need help with those, ma'am?" Steve asked standing up.

Jen's attention turned to Steve, where she smiled. "Uh… sure. Thanks..?"

"Oh, Jen this is an old friend of mine, Steve. Steve, one of my neighbors, Jen."

Steve took all of Jen's bags with a smile. "Nice to meet you."

"I gotta say, it's been a while since anyone has offered me help, Steve." Jen said opening the door to her apartment. "Well, and then there's Bethany."

"Best. Babysitter. Ever!" Theo declared, running into his apartment and onto the couch.

Steve put the bags down on the kitchen table. "Babysitter?"

"Only when needed," Bethany explained, leaning against the doorframe.

Jen threw her keys on the counter and folded her arms. "About that… I have a date tonight. You think you could…?"

Bethany exhaled deeply. "Only if it's okay with Steve."

"Well, you're welcome to join," Jen insisted. "I wouldn't have a problem with that."

Steve shrugged. "Sure."

"Thank you," Jen said with a smile. "Six then? I'll feed Theo beforehand."

Bethany nodded before bidding her goodbye and leading Steve out the building. "Babysitting, huh?"

"I moved here about three years ago and Jen and her husband were fighting. A lot. I was here about two weeks when she came to my door, tears down her face begging me to watch over Theo while she and her husband worked things out. Seeing her, completely out of control, begging for help… I don't know, she reminded me of me. I couldn't say no. Then it turned into her needing someone to watch him during marriage counselling and then divorce hearings."

Steve nodded as they walked down the Brooklyn streets. "Until right now, I thought your life was just work."

"It seems that way," Bethany agreed. "That's how I want everyone at SHIELD to see it. But SHIELD doesn't give back to back to back missions. I'm usually home once a month."

Steve smiled, looking at her. "I'm gathering you're a very complex person."

"Have I ever not been?" Bethany asked, playing with the end of her braid.

Steve broke out into laughter. He had never heard something truer then that.

* * *

><p>After visiting a department store, the bank and the book store, Bethany and Steve sat at a local café, waiting for their sandwiches. Steve ran his fingers across the edges of the brown leather jacket Bethany had snuck off and bought him while he was trying on some clothes.<p>

"So?" Bethany asked, gesturing to the area. "Thoughts?"

Steve looked up at the tall buildings, one in particular that read 'STARK' on it. "Everything here is so…"

"In your face?" Bethany supplied. Steve nodded. "Welcome to the 21st century. If something isn't in your face, it isn't worth building."

"Do you want to stop and see Tony?" Steve asked gesturing to the building. "I can wait out here."

"Nah," Bethany said. "I'll see him soon. Knowing him, he'll show up unexpected one night. Plus, I want to teach you more about this generation before you two meet. He won't lay off the jokes, I can promise you that."

"And here we go," a brown haired waitress said, putting down their food. "Enjoy."

"Thank you," Steve told her as she walked away.

"So we still have to go grocery shopping," Bethany said before taking a small bite of her sandwich. "Think we'll have enough hands to carry both those and your clothes back?"

Steve nodded as he took a big bite, absolutely famished. "Between the two of us, yes. Are we taking the subway again?"

"Yup," Bethany said, wiping the side of her mouth. "Maybe we'll see those girls again," she teased with a twinkle in her eye.

Steve blushed slightly, remembering the group of teenagers riding the subway, barely wearing anything at all. Steve spent the majority of the journey staring intently at Bethany, trying not to acknowledge them at all, but to his dismay they kept pushing themselves against him and making small talk, giggling away. Finally, Bethany put her hand on his thigh and asked him if they could stop to pick up some prenatal pills. Steve didn't know what she meant, but the teenaged girls did and laid off.

Looking around at the women at the café, Steve's brows furrowed. "Why is everyone dressing like this?"  
>"Provocative?" Bethany asked, taking a sip of her lemonade. "Believe or not, but this is what is considered fashionable. And sexy."<p>

"They're barely wearing anything," Steve spoke up. "They're leaving nothing to the imagination. How do they expect men to respect them if they don't even respect themselves?"

Bethany leaned forward, taking one of his hands. "This is a generation where people don't wait until marriage for sex. Not like we did, but it's accepted now. Many couples have more than one kid out of wedlock, and society is okay with this. And people get divorced without judgment. It's a completely different world. I mean, here I could get a job as a mechanic or a doctor with a blink of an eye, especially with my credentials. Sure, some women still face inequality, but it's not the same."

"I'm starting to see that," Steve said looking down at his plate as Bethany's phone began to vibrate loudly against the table.

"Sorry," Bethany said picking it up. "It's Clint. If I don't pick up, he'll call again." Steve nodded, taking another bite of his sandwich. "Yes, Katniss?"

_"Don't call me that,"_ Clint warned annoyed. _"Grandma."_

"Fine. What do you want? I'm at lunch."

_"Just wanted to check up on you. Make sure you were still alive."_

Bethany put a french fry in her mouth before replying. "You've never done that before."

_"It's not every day a past love of yours returns," _Clint explained. _"So?"_

Bethany looked at Steve who was gazing around at the buildings and people. "What exactly are you inquiring, Barton?"

_"I'm wondering if you had hot, dirty, sweaty sex up against the wall last night."_

Bethany crunched her nose. "Why would you even want to know?"

_"Because I care for your wellbeing. And you need to get laid. You're too uptight. In fact, it's been so long for you, you're probably a virgin again."_

"Goodbye Clint," Bethany said before hanging up.

"Anything wrong?" Steve asked, finishing off his sandwich.

"No, just Clint being Clint," Bethany said putting her phone back on the table. "A severe pain in my ass."

Bethany picked up her sandwich to take another bite before the screen lit up again. She groaned as she read the name before answering. "What Natasha?"

_"Clint said you hung up on him," _Natasha replied in her usual bored voice.

"Well, tell him to put his big boy pants on and deal with it," Bethany responded.

_"I just want to know!" _Clint yelled from a distance.

_"Look, just tell him what he wants to know, and then he'll stop being more annoying than the wifi on the third level of the hellicarrier."_

"Fine," Bethany grumbled. "No. Okay. And while you're at it, how about you tell him it was never like that to begin with."

_"Wait, seriously?" _Natasha asked, surprised. "_Never once?"_

"No," Bethany answered, trying to keep her tone as neutral as possible.

_"Not even when he returned from battle?"_

"Especially not then," Bethany said with a sigh. "Look Tasha, I'm at lunch."

_"If you do, will you tell me?"_

Bethany kept back her growl. "What? You want to know the raunchy details?"

_"You know me," _Natasha said in her natural air.

"Fine, but I have to go. Bye."

Bethany refrained from slamming her phone against the table, greatly annoyed that her partners' refusal to keep their noses out of her business. "You sure everything is okay?"

Bethany looked up at Steve, who was sitting up straight, fingers circling the rim of his glass of water. "And that was just Natasha being Natasha. Do you want the rest of my sandwich?"

"Are you not hungry?" Steve asked, eyeing the ham and Swiss sandwich.

"I lost my appetite," she said pushing her plate towards him. Steve took the plate happily and began to devour it. Bethany watched him fondly, always amused at the fact that he collected food like a garbage can.

_"You're going to make yourself sick," Bethany chuckled as Steve dipped another piece of bread into the melted cheese._

_"I thought you said my meta… metab.."_

_"Metabolism," Bethany supplied._

_"Right. I thought you said it runs four times faster. Doesn't that effect my appetite?"_

_Bethany sighed, "Yes, but it's not good to have that much dairy in your stomach. Ever drink so much milk that your stomach gets upset?"_

_"Have you?" Steve asked with an eyebrow lifted._

_"My childhood," Bethany said, reaching over to wipe some cheese off the corner of Steve's lip. "Basically up until I discovered alcohol and then it was a whole new type of sickness."_

_Bethany offered up the cheese on her finger to him, which he accepted his lips brushing against her thumb in the most sensual way possible. "Enough eating," Bethany decided, moving to straddle Steve's hips. "Time to work off that meal."_

_"Someone's eager," Steve said, running her fingers over her bare legs and up the large t-shirt she was wearing. "But I have no objections."_

"Beth?" Steve asked as he finished off her sandwich.

"Yeah?" Bethany said blinking away her memory. She had got used to pushing back her memories of her and Steve over the years, but now that he was in front of her, it was getting a lot more difficult.

"You seemed lost in though. You sure you're okay?" He asked softly.

Bethany took in a deep breath before shaking her head. "No. I-I'm not actually. I've spent the last 70 years piercing my life together, but just like that everything rushes back_. _I thought I put those memories behind me. But, they're as clear as day."

"I'm sorry," Steve told her honestly.

She let out a humorless scoff. "Steve, it's not your fault. I guess it's just hard having those memories close, having you close, and yet both being so far away."

Steve leaned over and took her hand again. "Beth, I get it. I'm a stranger in this place, but with you… I feel like I belong. I know I can do it. And for me, having these memories aren't as bitter as they once were. I only appreciate life and you more because of them."

A small smile pulled at her lips. "That's a good way to look at it."

"I want to be with you," Steve said suddenly, Bethany's heart immediately picking up, but not necessarily in a good way. She was nervous. She had not idea where this would lead to and her commitment issues hadn't quite resolved themselves over the years. "All I've been able to think about since waking up is kissing you. But there are a million reasons why that wouldn't be a good idea. I know that. It just… it doesn't change what I feel."

Bethany squeezed his hand, "Thank you for telling me that."

"All done here?" The waitress said from behind Bethany.

"Yes," Bethany said, pulling her hand away from Steve's. "Just the bill please."

"One or two?" The waitress asked as she picked up the plates.

"One," Steve answered, pulling out his wallet.

The waitress nodded, promising to be back in a minute. "I can pay," Bethany assured. "This wasn't a date or anything. I have an income. It's not the forties, women pay for their meals."

Steve shook his head, "I don't care. I wasn't raised like that. Plus I believe you picked up the tab last time we went out. It's my turn."

Bethany played with one of her earrings while Steve paid for lunch, using the money they took out of his bank account earlier. "Grocery shopping?" Steve asked as he got out of his chair, moving to help Bethany out of hers.

She smiled amused at his gentlemanly antics. She had watched the gestures slowly slip away from society until it was basically nonexistent. As he picked up all the bags and offered his arm to her, Bethany watched as some of the girls gave opened mouthed surprised faces at the acts, and couldn't help but bite back a smile.

_Oh God, Bethany. He's doing it again. He's stealing your heart. Be prepared._

* * *

><p>"You wanna see my superhero collection?" Theo asked Steve excitedly, jumping on the couch.<p>

"Should you be doing that?" Steve asked, giving the boy a skeptical look.

"No, he shouldn't," Jen called from the door. "Theo, get off the couch. You know the Wilcoxes downstairs don't appreciate it."

Theo jumped off the couch and repeated his question to Steve. "Lead the way," Steve said before Theo started to pull him to his room.

Bethany put a hand on her heart, unable to keep back her smile. "I think that's the first time I've ever seen you smile," Jen said, reapplying her lipstick in the reflection of the toaster.

"I smile," Bethany countered.

"Not like that," Jen said. "So, tell me about him. About you two."

Bethany shrugged. "We dated a few years back, had a bad breakup around the same time his best friend died. He just came back into my life yesterday, though."

"Any hard feelings?" Jen asked.

"He really wants to forgive me… let's just I'm the reason we broke up in the first place."

Jen began to fluff her hair. "How so?"

Bethany sighed, "He wanted to get married, start a family. I wanted to focus on work. Take things slow. I didn't give room for compromise."

Jen frowned, stopping her movements. "But you're like… what? Twenty-one? Twenty-two? You must have been young when he asked you. He couldn't expect you to just stop what you were doing."

Bethany shrugged. "It's complicated. All I know is he's staying on my couch until he settles into New York. It's the least I can do."

"Settle into New York?" Jen asked, packing her bag. "Where did you two meet?"

"Washington," Bethany lied smoothly. "He was a soldier. He's… on leave now."

Jen's eyebrows went up. "Should've guessed with that physique. That or professional athlete of some kind. Anyways, I've got to get going. Meeting him at the Italian place down the street. Help yourself to whatever."

Bethany nodded as Jen left before sighing and turning to meet the boys in Theo's room. "And this is my comic book collection!" Theo told Steve, who was sitting cross legged on the ground holding an Iron Man action figure in one hand and a vintage Captain America in his other hand.

"Ah, my two favorite superheroes," Bethany said sitting next to Steve. Steve looked at her and gave her a small smile when she tossed him a subtle wink.

"It's really humbling," Steve whispered, gesturing to all the Captain America merchandise around the room. "I never asked for this."

"Which is probably why you got it," Bethany whispered back. "Theo, why don't we pop some popcorn and watch a movie?"

Theo stopped from digging through a bin and excitedly jumped up and down. "Yes! Can we watch _Hercules_?"

"Get your PJs on first, okay?" Bethany said, moving to undo the cape from his neck. Theo didn't need to be asked a second time as he quickly went to it. Steve stood up, offering his hands to Bethany. Pulling her up she held onto one of his hands, leading him out the room. "Let's see how much of the microwave lesson you remember from this morning."

* * *

><p>After the movie was done, Bethany put Theo to bed, and her and Steve had time to themselves. Bethany laid down and put her feet on Steve's lap who, without giving it a second thought, began to massage her feet. Bethany channel flipped for a while before settling on <em>A League of Their Own<em> which had luckily just started.

Bethany figured the movie would be good for Steve considering it came out in the nineties, but was based during World War Two. The setting, style and music would be familiar to him, but the war was only a backdrop.

Half way through the movie, Bethany fell asleep. She had seen the movie more than enough times, considering she loved baseball, loved the forties and loved women proving they were just as competent as men. In fact, she mouthed almost all the words up until she fell asleep.

When the movie ended, Steve turned off the TV, a sense of pride filling him of being able to do it with such ease. Putting the remote down, the door to the apartment door opened and Jen walked in.

"Have a good night?" Steve whispered as Jen gave a wave of hello.

"Steve, you're a man," Jen said after a moment, putting a hand on her hip, contemplating something.

"Uh… yes?" Steve responded.

"Is there something about me that says 'will pay for her half of the bill', 'doesn't need you to open the door' and 'is totally fine with sleeping with him on the first date'? Don't answer that last one," she snapped as Steve's mouth fell open.

Steve looked down at Bethany's feet for a couple of seconds, before looking back up. "It's not you. It's them. They shouldn't be treating you like that."

"Yeah…" Jen mumbled, throwing her bag on the table. "Was Theo good?"

Steve nodded, "He's a good kid."

"Yeah, he is," Jen smiled. "I have to give Bethany a lot of the credit though. His father isn't around, so she's been making sure he has male figures to look up too. Which would explain his superhero obsession."

Steve gave a light smile. "She's good with him."

"Patient," Jen agreed. "Understanding. She'll make a good mother someday."

Steve felt his heartstring tug a little. "It's amazing how much she's changed since I last saw her. She wasn't even close to being ready. I loved her, but I still knew that she was selfish. She thought about other people, but she always made sure she was put first. Seeing her now… It's a completely new Bethany."

Moving her feet off of him, Steve took the key Bethany gave him out of his pocket. He leaned down to pick up her heels that she had earlier discarded and picked her up carefully. "Well, thank you Steve." Jen said opening the door for him and going over to Bethany's apartment, taking the key from his hand and opening it for him. "I hope this isn't the last I'll see of you."

"I have a feeling it won't be," Steve assured her with one last smile. "Good night ma'am."

Closing the door, Steve carried Bethany to her room, placing her down slowly. He considered changing her, but decided that it wasn't the best idea. Instead, he settled for pulling the blankets over her body and kissing her forehead. He watched as she shifted into her pillow, licking her bottom lip before her mouth split open as it always did when she was in a deep slumber.

Watching over her for a couple seconds, a glint from her nightstand caught his attention. Turning his gaze, he saw it was the reflection of the streetlights dance off a silver picture frame. Steve picked up the photo, instantly recognizing the image.

It was him. But not as he was now, tall, strong and heroic. It was from before Captain America, the serum and the events that led them to that very moment. Standing there, skinny, looking slightly out of place.

He hadn't really questioned the lack of photos of him in her living room. The thought had passed once, but Steve told himself not to be vain about it before focusing on a new topic. Now though, as he looked around her room carefully, he noticed he was the only one featured in her pictures in the room.

One of them on his birthday, Steve giving her a piggy back ride, one from the Christmas before they were together, Bethany making a funny face to the camera. Another showed them on her birthday, Bethany sitting in his lap, their foreheads pressed up against one another's. He even stumbled on one of them in a passionate lip lock, one he definitely didn't remember being taken. He was in his full Captain America suit though, so he could only assume he was too involved with their fervent kiss to notice the flashing that came with a photograph.

Turning back to look at Bethany, he wanted nothing more than to crawl into the bed and hold her close. Tell her he forgave her, and bygones were bygones. Instead, he made his way to the couch for another night of research.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Steve read the instructions to the instant pancake batter mix a third time before deciding he knew what he was doing. Carefully, he added the ingredients, started the oven top and watched as the rounded batter began to sizzle a little.

Steve smiled before heading to the fridge and pulling out some chocolate milk, pouring two tall glasses. Setting up two spots at the table, he felt a warm sense of accomplishment fill him. The sunlight coming in from the window illuminated the table in a way Steve had only seen in pictures. From this angle, there was no technology. It was simple and beautiful, and if only there was a sunflower in the middle of the table, Steve would have said perfect.

Moving to flip the pancakes, Steve leaned his head against the cupboards, thinking back to some of the best advice he ever got from Howard Stark.

_The lab was buzzing that day, a million sounds filtering the room. Steve wasn't sure what they were working on, and while it seemed like Howard was too busy to interrupt, it was the only time when Bethany wasn't clinging onto Steve or Howard's side and Steve wasn't sure if he'd get this opportunity again._

_"Howard, I was wondering if you could give me some advice." Steve asked, leaning up against Howard's worktable._

_Howard looked up, wiping some sweat off his forehead, only for it to be replaced with grease. "About?"_

_"Bethany," Steve said quietly, looking over to the opposite side of the lab where Bethany was repainting Steve's shield. Her head was tilted to one side, her tongue wedged between her two lips in concentration. It wasn't technically her job to take care of his shield or his uniform, but for some reason, she just did. When Steve had asked her about it, she said she wanted to make sure it was taken care of properly and that she didn't trust a man's hands._

_"Ah," Howard said, shoving his hands in his pockets in his usual stance. "I'll help you with everything except sex advice. I don't need to hear about that."_

_Steve's jaw clenched, fighting back the blush. "N-no. I just… I want to do something nice for her. But I can't very well take her out dancing or to the theatre. And every time we actually go out for dinner or to a bar, there's always other people around us, sharing our time. "_

_"Well, Bethany's past relationships have been less than romantic. Anything with a hint of romance would be special to her. Just make sure it's something she likes and make it romantic."_

_"Ideas?" Steve asked, letting out a huff of air._

_"Well," Howard said scratching the side of his head. "Bethany's favorite things include sleep, music and food. Breakfast in bed? Lunch in bed? Dinner in bed? _Fondue _in bed?"_

_Steve shook his head slightly at the last one, but the ideas definitely screamed something that Bethany would enjoy. Eating in bed, soft music playing in the background. It was simple, yet so Bethany. So… perfect._

As Steve piled the pancakes on the plate in the middle of the table, he heard the floor creak softly. Looking up, he saw Bethany standing confused against her doorframe. "Did you… make pancakes?"

Steve straightened up, giving her an adorable smile. "I tried."

Bethany walked over, now wearing an oversized sweater instead of her leather jacket, arms folded. "Looks like you succeeded."

"Sleep well?" Steve asked when she stood next to him. Her hair was wild, tied into a bun at the top of her head.

She nodded, yawning slightly. "I don't remember coming back."

"I didn't want to wake you," Steve explained.

Bethany looked down at the table again. "Why'd you do this?"

Steve shrugged. "No one reason in particular. I just… want to prove to you that I can do this."

Bethany smiled, placing her hand on his arm. "I know you can. And I'll be with you. Every step of the way."

Steve became aware of how close they were. How easy it would be to cup the back of her head, press their bodies together and lean down and kiss her. Her hand on his arm was so soothing, her thumb moving slightly in a calming motion. She looked up at him, her eye makeup from the day before slightly smudged, but eyes wide with wonder.

"We better eat before this goes to waste," She told him, removing her hand and sliding into her spot. Steve followed her and they began to eat. "You know, for your first time, this isn't half bad. I'm impressed, Captain."

Steve tried to bite back his proud smile, but it slipped through. "Plans for today?"

Bethany took her phone out of her pocket. "Well, I got a notice from Director Fury. Your SHIELD account has been set up, so we have to go in and activate it. After that, you'll have access to all the HYDRA files over the years, and whatever SHIELD believes you should know."

Steve nodded. "Will that take all day?"

Bethany poured some more syrup on her pancakes. "Why? You got a hot date?" Bethany said with a wink.

The side of Steve's lipped quirked up as he bowed his head. "Just hoping we could tackle more of the city."

Bethany nodded, noticing where Steve's leg was jiggling under the table. She raised an eyebrow. "Got some spare energy?"

"I didn't notice how much until this morning," Steve admitted.

"I know a gym down the street. Low key, old fashioned. You can work off the excess energy there. But if you ever wake up one morning and feel the need to exercise or whatever, go ahead and jog around town. But take your phone with you so I can track you if you get lost."

"Thanks for the faith," Steve said sarcastically.

Bethany threw him a look that read 'you know what I mean' before eating the last of her pancake. "Do you want to take a shower now? Or wait until after the gym?"

Steve took another pancake and began to cut it. "After I guess. Is it… secluded? I just… I don't want to break something and have people stare."

"More like post it on Youtube," Bethany mumbled. "And it's fine, there's nothing money can't buy now."

"Except happiness," Steve said quietly. "I've seen a lot of people out there. Nice clothes, lots of shopping bags. But none of them seemed happy."

Bethany gave a small smile before excusing herself to the bathroom. Steve couldn't help but wonder if Bethany was one of those people.

* * *

><p>Steve and Bethany sat in the main communications deck of the SHIELD building, Bethany explaining to Steve how to get into his account. Their chairs weren't facing the computers, but each other, their knees touching.<p>

"It's not difficult. But you need to keep your password a secret. Something that people won't be able to easily guess. Something out of the box, but something you'll remember. In return, any device with a camera or scanner will scan your features to determine that it's you and not someone trying to hack into your account."

Steve furrowed his brows. "Huh?"

Bethany chuckled, "Just pick a password."

"Can it be my phone password?" Steve asked, thinking back to when Bethany painstakingly told him to just pick four numbers for his password. In the end, he ended up picking the same as hers. Bethany had rolled her eyes, but moved onto the next steps.

"It needs to be more complex than that. And not to mention, that's predictable. That's probably the first thing someone would guess."

Steve frowned, "But isn't it just four random numbers? How would it be the first?"

Bethany shifted in her seat, letting out a heavy breath. "It's your birthday."

Steve turned his gaze away from the computer screen to her. She looked embarrassed, unable to meet his eyes, even when he placed his hand on her knee. "Beth-"

Bethany's phone began to ring loudly, the brunette wasting no time in taking it out and answering it. "Phil."

Steve watched as she talked on the phone, her words cryptic and holding almost no meaning to him. His hand stayed on her knee, his gaze intently on her. "I'll be there at the beginning of the month. No, tell Selvig not to do anything until I look over the numbers. Of course I trust him, Coulson, but this is something Howard was working on longer than SHIELD has been established. I'm not ready to release control over it. Besides, NASA hasn't given him clearance. Look, two weeks, okay?"

Steve took his hand off her knee and moved to type in the password once and then a second time as Bethany hung up. "All done," he told her quietly.

"Will you remember it?" Bethany made sure.

"Trust me, I'll never be able to forget."

Bethany raised an eyebrow in question before shaking her head. "Okay, well let's log you out of the system and then back in."

As the log in screen came on, Steve typed in his name, and the ID number given to him by SHIELD—which luckily was easy to remember. The cursor then moved to the password line and Steve smiled slightly before typing in _fondueisjustcheeseandbread._

* * *

><p>After paying off the owner of the gym to have the space to themselves and changing out of their street clothes, they met in the middle of the gym. Bethany was wearing a pair of grey capris sweat pants, the band clinched right under her knee, a pink sports bra and a loose black tank top that really only covered her stomach and back because the sides and front were cut so low.<p>

Steve was in a white t-shirt and brown sweatpants and as Bethany wandered up behind him, she took in how tight the two items were on him. She took in a deep breath before raising her foot up and kicking him lightly on his ass.

"What do you think?" She asked when he turned around. "Secluded enough for you?"

Steve didn't hear her though as he was too busy taking her in. He could see how toned her arms were, the tops of her breasts and the sweet spot on her shoulder. He could feel desire stir up inside him, watching as she strolled past him and into the middle of a boxing ring, her hips swaying and hair swishing in its pony tail.

"You coming?" Bethany mocked as she leaned against the ropes.

Steve frowned, "Wait, you want to box?"

"I was thinking that with some wrestling," Bethany informed, putting on some small boxing gloves. "It'll be fun."

"Beth-"

"Don't you dare say the words 'I don't want to hurt you'." She warned, popping her hip, crossing her arms. "I basically do this for a living. Plus, you won't bring me any permanent damage."

"It still hurts," Steve reminded her, slipping through the ropes.

Bethany rolled her eyes, "Nothing I can't handle. Trust me, I've learned to deal with pain."

Steve hesitated for a few more seconds before Bethany laid a hard punch to his jaw, walking backwards to the middle of the ring, giving him her best 'come at me' look. Steve took the other pair of boxing gloves off the side of the ring and put them on. "You asked for it, Stark."

"Bring it, Rogers," She said with a smirk.

Facing off, Steve lightly went to punch her, only to have her dodge it and then punch him square in the chest. Her face clearly read that she was challenging him, so he put his weight in the next one, only to have her dodge it again.

"This is sad," Bethany said, trying to get something real out of him. "The Great Captain America is getting his ass handed to him by a little girl."

Steve let out a heavy breath of air before moving forward to punch again, Bethany blocking this one, but his strength making her fall back a little. He then sent two fast punches, one that missed and one that hit her dead in the shoulder. She made a face as a sickening crack sounded the room. Steve pulled back, completely horrified, giving Bethany enough time to fall to the ground and swipe her legs across his, making him stumble to the floor with a heavy thud.

Bethany jumped up, placing a foot in the middle of his chest while she popped her shoulder back into its socket, the crushed bone healing within seconds. "Now _that's_ more like it," she told him with a smirk.

Steve retaliated by taking ahold of her ankle and pulling her down. They both quickly scrambled up, standing off again. This time, Steve didn't hesitate. He threw hard punches, pushed her against the ropes and she responded by kicking him hard and tackling him to the ground.

There was no anger in their movements, but they were all powerful, fueled by raw emotion. Both of them were sweaty and breathing hard. Steve's hair had fallen out of its coif and Bethany had thrown off the black tank top after Steve had unintentionally ripped it. He tackled Bethany to the floor, holding her down. She struggled, trying to think of how she could get free. What she usually did if this happened during a mission was bring her knee up into her attacker's crotch, but doing that now seemed like cheating.

"Give?" Steve asked as Bethany's chest heaved. Bethany swallowed hard, trying to clear her lungs. Her adrenaline was gone, and her limbs felt weak. Steve's eyes flickered over her features, but even as she nodded, he didn't move. It felt so natural, so easy. This was a position they knew well, both of them covered in sweat, heaving for their next breath, both so exhausted, but both needing more. Their proximity was close. Steve could smell the mint of her toothpaste.

His hold on her wrists moved down and their fingers intertwined, moving above Bethany's head. Steve lowered his head so their foreheads touched, their eyes both darkening with lust. Bethany's breath caught and she let out a small shiver.

She turned her head away, closing her eyes. Steve let out a small sigh before rolling off of her, Bethany struggling to get up. Steve watched as she wavered slightly, slipping out of the ring. Her shoulders shook as she went over to the wall and began to angrily punch the brick, over and over. He could hear her cries, not of pain, but of frustration, come with every punch until finally, she let her head fall against the brick.

Steve didn't move as he watched her breakdown, her cries echoing the empty gym. She slipped down the wall and into a ball, holding her legs tight as the tears fell down her cheeks. "You want to know why physical pain doesn't bother me anymore?" She asked, her head buried into her arms. "There's no pain like being cut open, feeling everything inside you being ripped out, leaving you hollow and healing, but always having that reminder that you're nothing but a shell."

Every third word was met with a gasp for air, her tears never stilling for a second. Steve grasped his bearings and moved to comfort her. He wrapped his arms around her shaking frame, feeling his own eyes prick with tears, seeing her in this much pain. "That's how I felt…" Bethany said looking up at him. "And all I wanted was for the pain to go away. But it didn't matter what I did." Her voice cracked multiple times. Steve brushed a few tears away, cupping her face. "Every external wound healed," her gaze drifted to a beam in the gym, her face looking broken. "The internal wounds just got worse."

She sniffed loudly, wiping her nose with the back of her hand. "It's amazing how much you want something once you can't have it."

"Beth?" Steve spoke quietly, pulling her closer to him.

"I wanted a piece of you once you went missing," Bethany whispered. "I wanted a stupid white picket fence. I-I wanted death." Steve closed his eyes, feeling his heart clench at her last words. "I didn't see the point of being alive anymore. I could slit my throat, swallow a bullet… It didn't matter."

"Beth, stop," Steve whispered, not wanting to hear anymore.

"I was so stupid," Bethany continued. "You were the best I ever had. It wasn't just a night. You promised me so much more without even saying anything. I knew you loved me, I just…" Taking a deep breath in, she stood up from his embrace and disappeared into the women's change room, leaving Steve sitting there, feeling more guilt than he was to blame for.

* * *

><p>Arriving back at Bethany's apartment, they barely said two words to each other. Neither really knew <em>what<em> to say. Bethany didn't regret telling him what she had been burden with during his absence, but now that it was out in the open, she felt vulnerable. That was something she desperately tried to hide, through her mental evaluations, missions with people who she considered family and more importantly, from herself. As for Steve, he couldn't wrap his head around everything she had said. There was undoubted truth in her words. Her describing the pain she felt when he went under was not unlike the pain of her betrayal, except he hadn't endured it for the last sixty-something years. And more importantly, he knew he was healing. Seeing her now didn't strike hatred in him as it briefly did. All he wanted was to love and protect her.

Steve watched as Bethany stopped only to pick up Molly and then proceeded to her room, closing the door. Steve stood in the middle of the living room, trying to come to grasps with everything. He thought that the only one going through this struggle of his return to reality would be him. That he would have to learn everything, let go of the past and eventually forgive her. But now, he could see that Bethany was fighting an even bigger battle. She had come to terms with everything, learned to live with her guilt, be strong and let go in her own way. His return broke those walls.

He heard a loud shatter from behind her doors, followed by a pained groan. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he slowly walked over to her door, pressing his ear against it. He could hear Bethany's muffled crying, followed by a soft meow from the cat.

Turning the knob, he was actually surprised to see it wasn't locked. He opened it a crack, his eyes meeting Bethany's face pressed into a pillow, her white comforter showing spots of blood up to one of her hands which was clutching the pillow. Molly curled up next to Bethany's head, her head resting on Bethany's. Steve's gaze followed the blood trail to her wall where her mirror was shattered into a million little fractures.

_Still punching mirrors? _Steve thought as he closed the door again. Leaning up against it, he let his head roll back slightly. He would never understand why she always went for a mirror over a wall, which was always what _his_ anger was pointed to.

_"What do you want me to say, Steve?" Bethany asked, waving a paintbrush dipped in white around._

_"You know what I want you to say Beth," he said carefully. "It's eight letters."_

_"Eight letters with a very heavy meaning," She reminded him, throwing the brush down and crossing her arms._

_Steve took in a deep breath, letting it out through his nose before turning to shut the door to her office. "Beth," he said before moving to grasp her shoulders. "Your lack of words when I say I love you cuts deeper than _any_ knife or bullet ever could. You give me reason after reason on why you haven't said it, and frankly, I'm sick of it. I can't live like this!"_

_"Like what?" Bethany asked as Steve took a step back, his hands moving towards his hair, clenching it tight._

_"A non-committed relationship."_

_Bethany scoffed, giving him a sarcastic smile. "Non-committed? Last time I checked I'm only sleeping with one person Steve, and that's _you_. That's about as committed as one can get."_

_"You don't get it do you?" Steve almost yelled at her. "I don't want just a physical relationship!"_

_"Really? Could've convinced me otherwise last night when it was orgasm after orgasm after orgasm."_

_Steve's teeth gritted harshly. "You're straying from the point."_

_"I don't think I am," Bethany said, walking across the room. "You're unhappy? Fine; then go find someone who will give you everything you want. Tuck you in, make you food, say words to you that are. Just. Fucking. Words."_

_"If they're just words then why won't you just say them?!" Steve asked moving closer to her. "And I don't want anyone else! Dammit, Bethany, when will you get it?! I _love _you, and for reasons right now I can't remember, but you've got to give me something!"_

_He barely had time to blink before her hand went straight for the mirror on the wall, the reflection cracking into a million different pieces before falling out of the frame. "Don't say I give you nothing, Rogers! I've given you more than I've given anybody before."_

_His gaze followed where her hand laid limp at her side, little shards sticking out of her skin, some of them pushing their way out, but a large one in particular rooting itself in. Steve moved forward to grab her hand, which Bethany promptly pulled away. "Let me see," Steve insisted, going for it again._

_"I'm fine," she told him, but it was clear by the wavering of her jaw that she wasn't._

_"Sit down," Steve told her, pushing her softly down to the couch, sitting beside her. "It looks deep," he said when he finally took hold of her hand again._

_"I'm fine," she repeated, wiping away a tear, stubbornly trying to fight away her pain._

_"I'm sorry," Steve whispered as he pulled out the shard. Bethany hissed, but as soon as it was out, her skin stitched itself together. "It's just frustrating."_

_"That's exactly how I feel," Bethany mumbled, rubbing her hand. "You're asking a lot from me. This is the hardest thing I've ever done."_

_"What? Being in a relationship?" Steve asked, throwing his arm on the backrest of the couch._

_"No," Bethany said, looking at her lap. "Admitting how I feel. You say it as if it's second nature, but I-" She took in a deep breath before looking into his eyes. "Steve, I know how I feel. I just can't put it into words now."_

_"I'm not naïve, Bethany," Steve told her. "I know you cover up the truth with your actions." He moved his fingers up to her lips. "I just don't want to be hanging on a lie."_

_She took his hand in hers. "You should've known better than to fall for a girl like me."_

_"You don't pick the people you fall in love with," Steve reminded her._

_Bethany sighed. "Why can't me being here be enough for now? I'm not saying I'll never say it. The next time I tell someone that I feel that way about them, I want to be sure of it. Can you just try to understand?"_

_Steve bowed his head, but nodded. "I can promise to try."_

_"That's all I'm asking. Are… are you still mad at me?"_

_Steve chuckled, his hair falling from its wave. "No."_

_"So I can do _this_," She started, leaning in to take his bottom lip in between hers, "and it be okay?"_

_His only response was pressing his lips against hers hard, pulling her to straddle him, Bethany wrapping her arms around his neck tightly._

Steve blew out a heavy breath of air before gathering the courage to open the door again. Bethany was now lying on her back, looking at the ceiling. Molly was on her stomach, moving slightly with every rise and fall of Bethany's chest.

"Beth?" He asked, walking next to her bed. "Can I get you something?"

Her hand brushed over her face before turning to him. Her makeup was smudged, but it was the redness of her eyes that made him take half a step back. "A time machine?"

Steve couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. "I can only assume that would turn back time? And in that case, I've wished for that more times than I can count."

Bethany's fingers brushed over Molly's head rhythmically. "I didn't mean to break like that."

"No one's perfect," Steve told her, sitting on the edge of her bed.

She shook her head. "I'm pretty sure you are."

"I make mistakes same as everyone else," Steve told her quietly.

"Well, it's a Stark family gene to make colossal mistakes. And then cope with it the wrong way, and when it comes back to the table, we break like an icicle."

"I didn't know…" he told her. "SHIELD sent me a file on you, but from all of it, I got nothing of all that."

"Of my attempted suicides?" She asked, scratching her arm. "Nobody knew. No, actually Peggy did. But she never told anyone." She chuckled in memory. "I remember her coming into my room as I cut one of my toe's off, just wanting to feel physical pain to match the emotional, and just seeing her freak out. And I mean she really didn't know what to do. She went into full shock mode. Not to mention, almost passed out when she saw the toe regrow."

"What did she do?" Steve asked, moving to push some hair behind her ear.

"Naturally, she was mad I lied to her again. But she soon came to reason. Realized the ramifications. And then she just… let me do it."

"She didn't think that she should tell Howard?" Steve asked, frowning.

"I dealt with heartbreak, pain and anger in one way before that and that was sex. But I just… didn't have the motive. I couldn't get drunk. There was nothing to make me feel just an ounce better. It wasn't just you, but realizing that I willingly and selfishly killed a child. _Our_ child. _That_ really broke me."

Steve laid down next to her, petting the back of Molly's head. "Despite the fact it feels like last month to me, it really seems like another life."

"Sometimes, right when I wake up, I'm happy. And I mean, truly happy. There's no worries, just the heat from the sun, the cozy sheets. And then as soon as I remember everything, I try to convince myself that it wasn't me."

They were quiet for a while, the only sound being Molly's loud purrs, even when Steve pulled his hand away from her ears. Bethany felt exhausted, more emotionally drained than she had been in a long time. "You were right when you said you changed," Steve suddenly whispered. "But you're still that girl I fell in love with. More so than I think you ever knew. But you're more mature now. Understanding your wrongs, expressing your feelings. Taking responsibility. Everything I ever wanted you to do back then."

As Molly hopped off the bed, Bethany turned on her side, holding her head up with her hand. "I've had a lot of time to grow."

"I know," Steve told her, mimicking her position. "I know it's only been three days, but I know who you are now. Honestly, when I saw you put Theo to bed, I knew that you had become a completely different person, but somehow the same."

Bethany shook her head, "It's not that easy, Steve. This is Vacation Bethany. The Bethany who has time to help her neighbors and eat pancakes. Work Bethany is a completely different story. A different person. I don't think you'll like her that much. Or at all. "

"Well, Work Bethany should know that I love Vacation Bethany," Steve told her, taking her hand in his, massaging the soft skin with his thumb. "And that I don't plan on losing her again."

"See?" Bethany said, lying down on her pillow and closing her eyes. "You are perfect. Only characters in cheesy love movies and soap operas say things like that."

Steve chuckled, moving to kiss her forehead. "Get some rest."

He went to move, but she grabbed his wrist. "Can you just… stay? I don't trust myself right now."

Steve took in a deep breath, remembering the events that occurred after the last time she said that, but clearly she was too tired to repeat that night. He nodded and laid back down next to her, pulling her to relax on his chest. He kissed the top of her head, rubbing her back soothingly as her breathing evened out and she fell asleep.

He watched as her face relaxed, the only proof of her breakdown being the black mascara tear stains down her face. Her perfect lips were parted slightly, the true sign of her being deep in sleep. The hand which she threw into the mirror earlier was resting on his stomach, flawless except for the dried blood. And while it felt ridiculous to say after the events of the day, being in a world so absurdly unfamiliar, Steve couldn't help but feel this was what heaven felt like.

_Steve pulled the blanket around them tighter. The couch wasn't big enough for the two of them—barely big enough for Steve to lie on it himself—and their passion was too heated, to clearly obvious in their appearance to make a run for their rooms. While the hard floor was less than ideal, it got the job done._

_"Do you ever feel weightless afterwards?" Bethany asked lightly against his neck. "Like you're floating?" He hummed in response. "It's the closest to heaven I'll ever be."_

_"What?" Steve asked. "You don't think you're going to heaven?"_

_"I've always been a fan of Norse mythology," Bethany shared. "Sure, the Vikings had misleading ways, but they sure led a full life. Pillaging and whatnot."_

_Steve's laughter rumbled in his chest. "Sometimes I don't know how to respond to your words."_

_"Not many do," she told him with a smile. "What am I lying on?" She reached behind her and pulled out the paintbrush she was using earlier to paint the star on Steve's shield. "Can you reach that paint tin?" She asked as she pointed to the bucket with the white paint in it. Steve did as she asked and frowned as she dipped the brush in it._

_She pulled down the blanket a little, enough for his pectorals to be on full display. "What are you doing?" He asked._

_Bethany said nothing as she swiped the brush across his skin, right over his heart. The brush curled, circled and danced over the skin until Bethany pulled away, picking up one of the bigger mirror shards in her reach. Holding it up so Steve could see, a small smile tugged at his lips at the words 'I love you' on his chest._

_It wasn't spoken words, but in that moment, it was enough._


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

Bethany's hand moved from it's position on Steve's stomach up to the crook of his neck. He looked down at her to see her eyes fluttering open. "Hi," she said quietly as she tilted her head up to look at him.

"Sleep well?" He asked, moving his hand from her hip to the divot of her body.

As she always did when waking up, Bethany smacked her lips together softly, a yawn escaping her mouth. "Mmm, what time is it?"

Steve peered over the pillow and smiled, "7:45."

"I am not going able to sleep tonight," She said, moving so her head was leveled with his. "You should've woken me up earlier."

"You needed a rest," Steve told her, their noses almost touching. "And you look so relaxed when you're sleeping, I couldn't bring myself to wake you."

Steve's stomach let out a loud growl, to which they both broke out into laughter. "We should feed you. You missed lunch and dinner because of me."

"I don't mind," Steve admitted to her quietly, not ready to let go of this perfect moment, no matter how hungry he was. "This is the most at peace I've been in for a long time."

"Me too," she whispered back. Steve moved his hand up to his neck where Bethany's was resting, intertwining their fingers together and bringing their clasped hands to rest on his stomach.

"I meant what I said," Steve told her. "About you changing. It's a good change."

"I may have matured," Bethany agreed. "But I know I was happier then."

"We'll just have to fix that," Steve assured her, resting his forehead against hers.

His stomach growled loudly again, making Bethany chuckle. "Let's fix that first. What are you up for?"

They settled on spaghetti, both of them changing into their pajamas before they started to boil the water. Together, they moved around the kitchen, Steve cutting a loaf of bread so they could make garlic bread, Bethany stirring the noodles and sauce. It was fairly dark outside, but neither had turned on the lights. The room seemed to scream peace and romance, especially when Bethany put three candles in the middle of the table, their flames flickering softly. She had plugged her phone into the speakers and picked a playlist she made specifically for Steve. It wasn't only songs he knew, but other jazz songs through the years and some quiet melodies.

"Smells good," Steve said quietly. "I can't remember the last time I had a home cooked meal like this."

"My instant pancake batter doesn't count?" Bethany asked with a smirk. "Molly, get off the table."

"I like this song," Steve said, coming up behind her, putting his hands on her shoulders.

She leaned back into him a little, enjoying the comfort. She felt one hundred times better than she had before. Waking up and seeing Steve there only made her realize that he was telling her the truth; he was there to stay. He really wanted to give them a second chance. And she knew she wanted that as well, but a new problem was coming to light. Soon she would be going back to work, a profession that almost made it impossible to have a relationship with. It was a lifestyle she chose a long time ago. And while she once said if Steve came back, she'd do anything for him, giving up SHIELD, the place that had become home over the last sixty years was something she knew she would have a hard time doing.

_"Tick tock every heartbeat drops whenever you're around baby, can't seem to chase those clouds away. There's no escape from it all…" _Bethany sang along. Steve's hands moved down her arms, finally wrapping around her body, the two swaying side to side carefully.

"After dinner," Steve whispered into her ear. "Maybe we can watch a movie?"

"Sure," Bethany said, eyes closed and savoring the moment. "Perhaps one you haven't seen? You liked _Hercules _and _A League of Their Own_."

"Just pick something where I won't spend the entire movie trying to understand the popular culture references."

A girlish chuckle escaped Bethany lips, "Okay."

"Laughing at my inabilities," Steve spoke into her ear. "Some things never change."

"I'm not laughing _at _you," Bethany said with a big smile. "I'm laughing _with _you. Except you aren't laughing. Now, can I have my body back so I can drain the noodles?"

Steve pretended to think about it for a couple seconds before letting her go. "Temporarily."

"Are you flirting with me?" Bethany asked as she moved to drain the pasta.

Steve drew the back of his finger down her bare arm. "Is it weird?"

She shook her head. "Is that where we are now? Flirting? I'm afraid I'm a little rusty."

"Flirting is in your blood," Steve reminded her. "I'm one hundred percent sure that a Stark invented it to begin with."

"That's probably true," Bethany agreed, mixing the pasta with the sauce. "Dinner's ready."

* * *

><p>Bethany made the stupid decision that the movie they should watch was <em>Titanic<em>. She figured it would be good since it happened before Steve was born, but at the same time would teach him a lot. It was something that was used as pop culture references a lot.

She just forgot about Jack's death.

"Well," Bethany said when she turned off the TV. "Look, I forgot about Jack..."

"It-it's okay," he told her quietly. Steve was sitting upright while Bethany was lying across the couch, her legs resting on his. "Good movie."

"Yup," Bethany said, scratching her head.

"I enjoyed it," He assured her.

Bethany raised an eyebrow. "You don't have to lie."

"No, it _was _a good movie. Sad ending, but…"

"You look tired," Bethany suddenly noticed. "I guess we should clean out the spare room so you can get some proper rest."

"I don't think it'll help," Steve said quietly.

Bethany sat up, her hand going to the back of his neck. "Steve; talk to me."

He sighed, playing with the hem of her shorts, his fingers ghosting over her skin. "I can't sleep. I'm so afraid that next time I close my eyes I won't be able to open them again. And even when I convince myself that it'll be okay… I just have nightmare after nightmare."

"PTSD," Bethany said quietly.

"Excuse me?"

"Post-traumatic stress disorder," Bethany explained. "A lot of soldiers return home unable to keep nightmares at bay because of what they've seen. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

"I'm sure it'll pass," Steve whispered.

"Once you talk about them," Bethany said, her fingers lightly moving on his neck. "You need to face the fears before you overcome them."

He sighed, moving his hand up to cup her hip. "They're not fears. Just memories. I've already faced them. I had them during the war too, but they always passed."

"How?" Bethany asked soothingly. "Was there something in particular that helped?"

Steve nodded, taking in a deep breath of air. "You, actually."

Bethany nodded before standing up. "Then come to bed."

"Beth-" Steve began, alarmed at her proposition.

"No buts," she interrupted. "You need to sleep. You helped me today, let me help you. Come on."

Steve hesitated for a second before taking her hand and going to her bed. As they crawled under the blankets, they curled into their customary position, Bethany's head over Steve's heart, her hand on the flat of his stomach, his own arms encircling her.

"Just try to relax," Bethany whispered. "Don't think about all that, think about only the good things in your life."

Steve nodded, thinking back to the endless nights where her kisses and moans were the perfect distraction, bringing him to the brink of exhaustion where sleep was easy. And the way she would _always_ sing him to sleep, her voice the perfect lull.

"Can you sing for me, Beth?" He asked as Molly laid herself over Steve's legs.

Bethany shifted slightly, easing herself into a more comfortable position before taking a deep breath and letting her sweet voice fill the room. _"I heard there was a scared chord that David played and it pleased the Lord, but you don't really care for music do you?"_

* * *

><p>A week went by and for the most part, it was good. Every morning, they would wake up in each other's arms, sleep welcomed with open arms. One of them would shower while the other made breakfast, and then after breakfast one would clean up while the other showered. They would walk around the city, go to the park, Bethany bringing her laptop and giving Steve brief history lessons. Steve was slowly getting used to the area. In fact, if Bethany had some errands to run, Steve would take a jog around town, or go to the gym down the street by himself.<p>

Every night, they would eat dinner, watch a movie and crawl into bed together. It was all so perfect and simple, and Steve caught himself wishing that it could stay like this forever.

He was now certain that Bethany was changing just being in his presence. Throughout the week, she laughed and smiled more. Her makeup was softer, and she even enlisted his help in curling the back of her hair. She barely got any calls from anyone at SHIELD, and that seemed to make her more relaxed. Steve even caught her looking up hair salons in Brooklyn.

Today, Jen had enlisted the help of Steve and Bethany to watch over Theo while she picked up an extra shift at work. Bethany had accepted with a huge smile on her face, which made Jen question who she was and where Bethany Coulson had gone.

As for Bethany, she felt great. Sure, there was work to worry about, but with no calls from anyone, it was like work didn't exist. She found herself smiling more than she had in almost seventy years, laughing at the littlest things and just wanting to spread her happiness around the world. She felt free from everything holding her down and Steve was the reason.

It was his soft touches, adorable smile and the insanely cute way he would try to flirt with her. She felt butterflies in her stomach whenever he was in arm's reach and caught herself memorizing features of his she already knew by heart.

They sat on the park bench, watching Theo run around the playground, Bethany finding herself realize how _easy_ this was. "What does Jen do? I mean, it's Sunday and she's working," Steve asked, moving his arm to rest on the back of the bench, curling around Bethany.

"She's a nurse. When her and her husband got a divorce, he left for good. Theo doesn't see him anymore, and Jen doesn't see much money either. I mean, she gets child support checks, but that's it."

"So she has to work for everything," Steve clarified.

"Everyone does," Bethany reminded him.

He shook his head, "Looking around, I'm sure that's not true."

She sighed, "Okay, so a lot of people get their lives and money handed to them on a gold platter. But a lot of people have to work for their living. More than don't."

"It's nice to see that people can have luxuries now though. Not like before where it was a big deal if you could afford a new shirt."

Bethany nodded, "I learned long ago that while money isn't everything, it sure as hell makes a difference. I can't even remember the last time I worried about it, and it's been a great relief."

"SHIELD pays well, then?"

"Not too shabby," Bethany informed him. "But most of my money is from Stark Industries. I hold a large share of the profits. Not to mention, Tony makes sure that if I help with the creation of _anything_, I get paid for it."

"Just out of curiosity," Steve asked, turning slightly to face her opposed to where Theo was playing. "Why do you live in a small apartment in Brooklyn opposed to a great mansion?"

"What use would I have with a mansion?" Bethany responded with a crinkled brow. "I'm barely home, and when I am, it's just me. It's big enough, it serves its purpose. As for it being in Brooklyn, I tend to have apartments close to a main SHIELD HQ just in case. It just happens to be in Brooklyn right now, coincidentally. A few years ago it was in Atlanta. Before that, Dallas. I'll have to move again soon, and I'm thinking Washington, DC. That's where the Triskelion is, the head of all SHIELD command."

"Why would you move?" Steve asked, brows furrowed together.

"People tend to notice when you don't age," Bethany reminded him. "Helps keep my secret a secret."

"Just like you saying you're Bethany Coulson opposed to Stark."

"Exactly like that," Bethany agreed. "It'll be hard to leave Theo though. He may not be my kid, but I can actively take credit to his knowing how to tie his shoe and the difference between PC and Mac." Steve frowned and Bethany just laughed. "I'll explain later."

Theo came running over, heading straight to the bag he insisted they bring with them. "What're you looking for?" Steve asked as the kid began to dig through it.

"Baseball glove," Theo said, pulling out three gloves and a baseball. "Steve, will you teach me how to catch a ball?"

Steve looked hesitant before nodding. As Theo ran to the middle of the field, Steve picked up the larger, worn-in glove and flipped it in his hand. "What's wrong?" Bethany asked as she slipped the pink one onto her hand.

"Little Steve Rogers from Brooklyn never caught a baseball," Steve admitted.

"Captain America has never played America's past time?" Bethany asked in a joking tone. "If you can catch a shield, you can catch a baseball. C'mon; I'll teach you both."

Steve caught on so quick that Theo didn't even realize that the man had never caught a ball before. Theo however, often missed the ball. Bethany would lean by him and move his hand in the proper place as Steve lightly threw the ball to him. When Bethany finally stepped back to let the boy try by himself, he caught it with a victorious smile. Steve ran over to give him a high five, then moved to lift the boy up and throw him in the air.

Bethany laughed as Steve caught him, putting him down, only for Theo to cry "Tag you're it!"

Steve turned to Bethany, giving her a sly smile. Bethany's smile dropped as she started to run away. He ran after her only at half speed, chasing after Theo when he got close, but ultimately caught Bethany first, taking a hold of her waist and spinning her around. "I got cha," he declared, as they fell down.

Bethany laughed hard, the sound only increasing when Theo jumped on top them. "Best day ever!" Theo shouted, sitting on Steve's back.

"You're squishing me!" Bethany chuckled from under the two boys.

"Piggy back ride!" Theo insisted, wrapping his arms around Steve's neck.

"You heard the man," Bethany said with a wink. "Get off of me you fool!"

Steve leaned down, their foreheads touching briefly before standing up and running around with Theo on his back, laughing. Bethany rested on her elbows, smiling as the two played around, not giving a second thought to the rest of the world.

Bethany brought her hand up to her stomach, lying it flat. _I don't know when, but one day Steve. And this time, I won't mess it up._

* * *

><p>After dropping Theo back with Jen, Bethany suggested they go to the Bronx and see the Yankees play. Steve agreed immediately. The first thing he heard when waking up was an old baseball game, and the only reason he knew that it was from 1941, not just because he was there, but because he truly loved the game. And games like that one was something you didn't forget.<p>

Steve was impressed at the newly constructed Yankee Stadium. It was chilling to be there, as if history itself lived on in there, despite it only being a couple years old. It was packed with fans in pinstriped jerseys, the overwhelming smell of hot dogs and more beer vendors than Steve thought possible.

Settling into their seats, Bethany smiled. "Look at that field. First time I've been here. Actually, first time I've been to a game in a really long time. I think the last game… yeah, the last game I went to was when I was living in St. Petersburg in 2001."

"They have a baseball team there?" Steve asked, taking a sip of his beer.

"Well, Tampa Bay does."

"They any good?"

Bethany laughed. "They weren't then. They're not bad now, but boy did they ever suck then. Popcorn?"

As the sky got darker, and the seats of the stadium became full, Steve and Bethany had started a conversation with an old man with sunglasses on. It began with him reaching over to take Bethany's beer, only to realize that the red lipstick on the rim didn't belong to him.

When the stadium rose to their feet to sing the national anthem, Bethany intertwined her fingers with Steve. He wasn't singing, but she could tell by the look on his face that he was focusing only on the words.

"You have a voice like Patti Page and Betty Hutton rolled up in one," the old man commented. "Although you probably don't know who they are."

"No, I do." Bethany told him with a smile. "And I'll take that as a compliment."

"Who's the dame who sang _Sentimental Journey_?" Steve asked, fixing one of Bethany's curls.

"Doris Day," Bethany said, stuffing her face with popcorn.

Steve nodded, "I think you sound more like her."

The old man nodded his head in agreement, "Although, may I say so dear, your voice is much more elegant than any of those women. And I must say, I'm impressed with you younglings knowing these old timers."

"Steve doesn't listen to much other than Peggy Lee and Glenn Miller," Bethany said with a chuckle.

"Kudos to you," the old man said, raising his beer for Steve to cheers to.

_"Why did I decide to roam, gotta take that sentimental journey,"_ Bethany sang lightly, surprised that she remembered it after all those years. "That came out in what? '45?"

"Yes," the man nodded. "Same time the war ended. I remember because all the lads would sing it. Ready to get home to their gals. Get married, have some kids. Naturally, that's true because of the baby boom. Ah, those were the days."

Bethany gave a closed mouth smile, leaning back in her seat, stealing a sip of Steve's beer. "How you doing?" She whispered to Steve.

"Like I'm at home," Steve admitted. "Maybe I should talk to elderly people more often."

Bethany body started to shake with laughter, a small cough following. "I'll keep that in mind."

During the bottom of the sixth, Bethany excused herself to go to the bathroom. The old man leaned over Bethany's empty seat to talk to Steve. "She's a keeper son. You two make a pretty special couple."

"We're uh… we're not really a couple," Steve said scratching the back of his head. "It's… it's complicated."

"Well, snatch her up before someone else does. They don't make 'em like that anymore. So graceful and poised. And that voice? And they say today's singers have good voices. Not even close. It was back then, the deep and hearty pipes. And son, have you seen the way she looks at you?"

Steve felt a small smile tug at his lips. "I'm not imagining that?"

"Not at all," the man insisted. "Whatever is keeping you from going after her needs to disappear."

Steve nodded. "Thank you."

"Girls like chocolate and roses," the man added quietly as Bethany walked back up.

"The lineup was literally around a corner," she said, flopping into her chair. "I miss anything?"

Steve shook his head, studying her body language. She was relaxed and casually just sitting there, but her body seemed to be facing his. Her foot was inches away from his, and she had taken over the armrest between them. She wasn't keeping her distance. She was actively trying to be closer to him. Whether this was intentional or not, Steve couldn't help but feel happiness well up inside of him.

_"Your attention please," _The announcer called out. "_Ladies and gentlemen, please rise and remove your caps, and please direct your attention to the microphone behind home plate. In honor of the service men and women stationed around the globe, we will now sing _God Bless America."

Bethany took Steve's hand again as they stood up, the entire stadium breaking out into song. Bethany could feel the proud Americans' all around her, but it was from Steve's glowing eyes that she saw the most patriotic force of them all.

"God Bless America," Bethany said patriotically as the song ended and the crowd started to sit back down.

"Here here," the old man agreed, with a pump of his first.

* * *

><p>"Is this what it feels like to be drunk?" Bethany asked as they made their way back to the apartment. "Because this is a good feeling."<p>

Steve chuckled, being pulled as Bethany skipped along. The Yankees had won on a walk off, making every moment of the game exciting to watch. "A little. Although when I _could_ get drunk, it was usually not a good experience."

"I've heard that about getting drunk," Bethany responded teasingly, freeing her hand from Steve's and walking backwards. "And seen it too. Poor Howard. Although Tony has worse hangovers. It must be worth it though, if people keep on drinking."

"You've never been drunk?" Steve asked, shoving his hands into his pockets. That didn't seem right to him at all.

"I mean, I have. But that was a really long time ago. I completely forget what it was like. All I remember was that Howard would make sure I got a nice, big helping of bacon in the morning."

Steve put his hands on her shoulders, directing her to walk around a newspaper stand as she continued to walk backwards. "You miss him?"

Bethany shrugged as Steve's hands dropped away from her. "It may be hard to believe, but we had a fallout. After Tony was born, I found faults in everything he was doing. He wanted to save the world, and spent the majority of his time looking for you, actually. Tony got the short end of the stick, and I was mad that he was missing out on something so important. When he died… I didn't even cry. Yes, I was sad, but I felt like if I wasn't strong for Tony then I'd be letting him down. I miss him, but I lost him even before he died."

They turned into the building, making their way up the stairs. "You really love Tony, don't you?"

She sighed, turning down their hall. "He's the only family I have. He's so much like Howard, even if he won't admit it. And he's always made me happy. He's a little punk, but I wouldn't change him."

Steve took out his key and opened the door. "I think I'm going to make some food, if you wanna hop in the shower."

"Sounds good," Bethany agreed. "I have sand where sand shouldn't be. There's a box of mac'n'cheese in the cupboard above the toaster, if you wanna try that. There's like five steps."

Steve nodded as Bethany wandered into the shower. He opened the cupboard and began to read the instructions, feeling confident enough to do this without Bethany's assistance. As the water boiled, Steve flipped through a newspaper Bethany had subscribed to the week prior, just for him. Per usual, he could hear Bethany singing in the shower, her velvety smooth voice drifting towards him.

Usually, he didn't know the song, but the way she sang it sounded like it could be from the forties. Whether it was the way she held onto certain notes, or just that her voice had that tone, he wasn't sure. But he often looked up the original after hearing her, and was disappointed. There was just something about the way Bethany sang it that made it so simple and beautiful. Made the words mean something other than just random sound.

_"And let's delay our misery. Save tonight and fight the break of dawn. Come tomorrow, tomorrow I'll be gone." _The water began to bubble over the pot and Steve got up to complete the steps for their late night snack.

When Bethany came out, Steve was just pouring the pasta into two bowls. He looked up, doing a double take. "I stole your shirt," she told him, taking her bowl, her wet hair hanging over one shoulder. "You left it behind the door, and I forgot my pajamas in my room."

"That's fine," he said as they moved to the couch. "Looks good on you."

"This is good," Bethany informed him as she took a spoonful of noodles. "I think you're ready."

"For?" Steve asked, trying to ignore the fact that her very wet hair was making transparent marks on his white shirt. He could see her pale skin against the fabric and two very prominent buds poking the smooth fold of the shirt.

"I leave Wednesday, remember?" Bethany began, Steve directing his gaze to her eyes before he could get too distracted and aroused. "I mean, I'll only be gone for five days, tops, but you'll have to fair by yourself. I have immense faith in you, Captain."

Steve took a couple spoonful's, mulling this over. "It's going to be weird being here alone."

"You'll have Molly," Bethany said with a smile. "In my experience, she's a great listener. Not to mention, she always knows when I'm in a bad mood. And despite what scientists believe, I think cats have feelings. I mean, she _hates_ Jen. Won't go anywhere near her. And Jen and Theo will be across the hall if you need someone."

"You'll have your phone, right?"

Bethany nodded. "I even programed your very own ringtone so I won't be able to shrug off the boring ring and pretend that it's a salesperson, like I do a lot with SHIELD calls on my time off."

"Please tell me it isn't _Star Spangled Man_ or anything like that."

Bethany bit back a smile. "No…."

"Bethany," he groaned.

"It's not _Star Spangled Man, God Bless America _or _Star Spangled Banner_," she insisted.

Steve sighed, taking his phone out of his pocket. After a couple of seconds, he figured out how to call Bethany's phone. _"America-FUCK YEAH- coming here save the motherfucking day. America-FUCK YEAH- freedom is the only way."_

Steve narrowed his eyes as her phone rang loudly, Bethany clutching her stomach, laughing so hard at his reaction. "I'm sorry, I just couldn't resist." Pressing the end call button, Steve shook his head. "I'll change it, I promise. Maybe _Rose Room _or _Flyin' Home_?"

Polishing off the bowls, Bethany fed Molly as Steve changed into his PJs. Since Bethany stole his shirt, he came out in only his bottoms, leaning on her bedroom doorframe, waiting for her. They realized the benefit of sharing the same bed. Not only did they both feel more at ease and were able to sleep, but they also didn't have to pull out the couch every night or clean out the spare bedroom which was the definition of a pig's sty.

"Tomorrow," Bethany began, crawling under the sheets. "SHIELD is supposed to send over everything Howard put in storage for you. There's not much, but you'll have your sketchbooks, uniform, records."

Steve laid in the bed, the mattress falling slightly under his weight. Bethany's body curled next to his, her hand on his bicep. "Part of me feels like I should let those things go."

Pulling the comforter around them tighter, Bethany shrugged. "I still have some of my stuff from then. Besides photographs, I mean. I still have my record player, some of my clothes. Things I don't necessarily need, but it's nice to have."

"Your earrings," Steve said, gaze on the ceiling.

"Diamonds will never go out of style," she told him quietly. "Steve?"

He turned his gaze to hers, their noses just touching. "Yeah?"

"I've had a lot of birthdays. A lot of Christmases. But those earrings have always been my favorite. They were given to me by two people who shaped my life. Who _changed_ my life. I haven't gone a day in seventy years without wearing them."

His hand went up to cup her face. "Beth?"

"Mmm?" She hummed, eyes flickering open. He could see the happiness in her eyes, something that had been lacking the week prior. They were no longer hard and filled with pain, but shimmering with bliss. Even her face seemed to be softer, a smile gracing her face easier than the first few days where it always looked strained. And oh, her laugh. That beautiful, careless laugh that escaped her lips at the simplest of things. It had returned with the smile, with the change in her eyes.

With the old man's words ringing through his head, Steve found the confidence to lightly press his lips against hers. As soon as they touched, they were like magnets. The pull then became impossible to ignore. Bethany responded against his lips, tentatively at first, almost unsure, but as her heartbeat increased and the butterflies in her stomach began to dance, she pulled herself flush against him.

It had been years since she kissed anyone, but with Steve, it came so natural. Their lips seemed to remember the other's perfectly. It was like no time had passed, no heartbreak and no change. It was just the two of them, clinging to each other, kissing, nipping and moaning.

Steve rolled them over so he was hovering over her. Bethany wrapped her arms around his neck as his fingers softly moved up and down her sides, barely touching, but enough to spark desire through her. She truly felt alive as feelings of lust overtook her. He was the last person to touch her like this, and here he was again. Every kiss, touch, sound was amplified. She was surrounded by Steve, and it felt better than anything she could have imagined.

Oh, how she wanted him. How she wanted everything to stay exactly as they were, right in that moment. Just the two of them, nothing else. The world around them could go to hell and she wouldn't even care. She had everything she needed with him.

Steve moved his head down to her neck, allowing her to breathe. A small whimper, Steve's favorite, escaped her as his hot lips moved closer to her sweet spot. Her mind was hazy to everything else except him. But as one of his fingers trailed up the inside of her thigh, she was provided with a moment of clarity.

"Steve," she said, in a tone he recognized as 'stop'. He paused his sweet assault, resting his head in the crook of her neck, waiting for her words. "Trust me, there's nothing I want to do more than this, but we need to think clearly about us before we get into trouble."

He hated that she was right, but _she was right_. Rolling of off her, they laid side by side, staring at the ceiling. "I'm sorry," Steve offered after a moment of silence.

"Don't apologize," Bethany insisted. "Just last time we jumped right into sex and look where that got us. I've gone almost seventy years without it, I think I can go a couple more weeks. Or however long it takes us to figure everything out."

She shifted to lay her head on his chest, her fingers dancing along his stomach. "I'm okay with that. I was the one who wanted more than a physical relationship," Steve reminded her.

He could feel her smile across his skin. "I'm just happy you want to be with me again."

"You drive me crazy sometimes," Steve admitted with a sigh. "But I know that you were made for me, and that I was born to make you happy. That much is clear."

"So does this mean we're going steady?" Bethany said, a chuckle in her tone.

Steve's laughter rumbled in his chest, but he bent his head down to kiss her hair. "If Work Bethany allows it."

"I think she'd enjoy having someone more than a cat to come home too," Bethany revealed.

"Then we're going steady," Steve said quietly. "Good night Bethany Stark."

"Good night, Captain."


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

Steve and Bethany stood outside the apartment building, a black duffel bag at Bethany's feet, waiting for the SHIELD escort car to pick her up. It was barely 6:30 in the morning, but she knew the faster she got there, the faster she'd get to go back home. May, for inexplicable reasons, was her favorite month of the whole year. It could have been since it was a time of renewal. The snow, or more like slush, of the winter months was long gone, and the trees were blooming proudly. She felt good standing outside, with her recently rekindled relationship in the air that screamed renewal.

As the black car pulled up and popped the trunk open, Steve moved to place her bag inside. Bethany tapped on the passenger's window, telling the SHIELD agent with the unfortunate task of driving other agents around that she just needed a moment before they could go. When Steve and Bethany met in the middle, they embraced each other tightly.

"So remember to feed Molly. Give her lots of water, and if it gets hot, give her an ice cube to play with. She likes to do that for some reason. Oh, and if you make a salad, she likes lettuce. But make sure she doesn't eat it all in one piece. Maybe rip up some small ones? I have my phone, and it'll be on the entire time, but if something does happen and you can't get a hold of me, don't freak out. SHIELD communication lines sometimes go down when we're experimenting. If you need any help with the area, Jen will be across the hall, and she's already said that you can drop by a night for dinner if you want…. Umm, what else? I feel like I'm-"

Steve silenced her with a soft, but breathtakingly passionate kiss. "I feel like that was your very polite way to tell me to shut up."

Steve smirked, leaning his forehead against hers. "It worked, didn't it? Relax, I'll be fine."

She sighed, her hands resting on his biceps, slowly moving up and down. "I just want to make sure you're okay. I mean, can you blame me for being a little worried? You set off the fire alarm yesterday and thought it was the cooking timer."

"Honest mistake," Steve said, cringing at that very embarrassing moment. "And if one of us should be worried about the other, it's me with you."

"I told you," Bethany told him with a small smile. "It's just a mandatory inspection. One senior SHIELD agent is supposed to be present at all times, and it's my turn. I just need to make sure everything is running smoothly, and then I'll be back before you even miss me."

"I doubt that," Steve said, his lips nipping hers gently. It felt nice, actually, to have someone worry about her. Everyone just assumed that since she could heal, that there was no reason to be worried about her. Half the time, she didn't even get an extraction team.

"Five days, tops," She reminded him. "I shouldn't get another assignment since Fury's under the impression you can't take care of yourself long term."

Steve frowned. "His lack of faith in me is disturbing, considering he wants my help in the future."

Bethany bit back a smile. "Remind me that we need to watch _Star Wars_. And don't take it personal. He wants your combat skills and military experience. What? What's with that face?"

"I saw you pack your gun," Steve admitted.

"It's part of the uniform," she told him pointedly. "I've been doing this for decades Steve. Half of the agents have either been trained _by_ me, or by someone I've trained. Oh! And remember to clean Molly's litter. She _will_ pee on my bed if you don't, and since my bed is your bed, you should be concerned."

"Yes dear," he said in a mocking tone but leaned down to kiss her again. He could feel her smile into it, fingers moving up his arms and around his neck where they began to play with the hair at the nape. His whole body tingled, just like every moment of being with her the last few days. She was addicting. She brought him so much happiness, no longer a painful source of misery. Whenever he saw her, he was too focused on all the positives that he didn't even remember all the pain she had caused him, or that he caused her.

As they separated, their foreheads touching, Steve couldn't keep it in. "I love you."

Once they hit Bethany's ears, she visibly cringed. There they were. Those three damned words again. Words she said a million times in her thoughts, to Howard, to Tony. Those eight simple letters. Each word so easy to say individually. _I_ am going to take a shower. They _love_ to cause havoc in the halls. _You_ hungry?

Steve sighed, fuelled by aggravation. "Still can't say them, can you?"

He took a step back, escaping from her arms. "Steve-"she tried, visibly shaken.

"No, it's… it's fine," He told her, but it was clear that it wasn't.

"Steve, I don't have time to do this," she pleaded.

He took a few more steps back, climbing one of the stairs to the building. "It's… it's whatever. Go."

"Steve-"

"Beth," he said closing his eyes. "Just don't. I'll see you in a couple days."

She took one last look at him, exhaling deeply, before sliding into the car and slamming the door. Steve's jaw clenched as he watched the car drive up the street, and around the corner, leaving him alone.

* * *

><p>Arriving at the Joint Dark Energy Division where Project PEGASUS was stationed, Bethany had changed into her full SHIELD attire. The tight black jumpsuit, gun holster slung around her hips, hair in its tight ponytail. She knew other agents were looking at her as she walked through the halls. They had every reason to. She was the best of the best, in every field at SHIELD. Whole teams were based on singular aspects of her.<p>

"How's he doing?" Coulson said, walking up beside her.

"Hi to you too, Phil," Bethany said plainly as they stepped inside an elevator.

"Sorry," he said with a small smile. "Hi, Bethany."

"He's fine," she told him with little emotion in her voice. She didn't want to think about Steve right now. Especially not after the way they left things. _That_ in particular was eating her up more than the fact that she couldn't tell him how she felt about him. It made her uneasy to think that something could happen to either one of them and she would never get to make amends and would slip back into her, for lack of a better word, depressed state.

Phil put his hands in his pockets and bounced on the balls of his feet slightly. "Do you… do you think he'd sign my trading cards?"

"You'd have to ask him yourself," Bethany said, annoyed that the conversation was on someone she clearly was trying to get off her mind. "What's the status report?"

"Nothing," Coulson admitted, as the doors opened. "Selvig still isn't sure how to transfer the energy from the cube to the weapons, but he's sure it's possible."

"If they could do it in the forties, they can do it now," Bethany insisted. "Damn HYDRA being one-step ahead of us, even to this day. Where is Selvig anyway?"

Coulson lead her to an observation room outside where the cube was being held. "I'll leave you to it. By the way, Agent Barton is here too. Although, I would steer clear of him."

"And why's that?" Bethany asked, folding her arms together.

"I heard him on the phone earlier," Coulson shared. "With Natasha. Apparently he wants to send a giant box of condoms to your apartment."

"Of course he does," Bethany said clenching her jaw before walking over to Selvig. "How's she doing?"

"Stable," Selvig said, looking up from some notes. "Good to see you again, Agent Stark."

"Can I see those?" She asked, looking at the clipboard. He handed them to her and started to explain the Tesseract's recent activity. "Seems normal."

"Define normal," Selvig joked. "What's normal about a magically glowing cube that emits energy?"

Bethany let out one chuckle, a small smile pulling on one side of her mouth. "I guess I've been around this thing long enough that it doesn't even surprise me anymore."

"You know, I was looking over your brother's original notes," he added. "You'd think with years and years of technology that we'd be closer to understanding it, but we aren't."

"Doctor!" A woman came running up. "The cube! It's having some sort of reaction!"

Selvig and Bethany shared a look before rushing into the room, to see exactly what she was talking about. "Because it couldn't just be a normal trip, could it?" Bethany muttered to herself.

"She's spiking," one of the scientists explained. "How should we proceed?"

"See what she's emitting," Bethany said taking control, taking her earpiece out of the tight pocket by her ribs and placing it into her ear. "If it's just pure energy, we can see if we can harness that alone."

She moved over to the screens, and frowned. "What do you think?" Selvig asked.

"That's gamma radiation," Bethany said pointing to the screen. "Where's Clint?"

Selvig pointed up to the rafters and Bethany rolled her eyes. She motioned for the agent to come down, and he complied. "Did you see what happened?" She asked when he stood next to her.

"One minute it was fine, and the next; this."

"Helpful," Bethany noted. "Coulson," she said, her hand to her earpiece. "Stand by, we may have an issue."

"Issue?" Selvig said. "The energy surge is dying down."

"If it happened once, it could happen again. This isn't normal behavior. It's been in SHIELD's hands for almost 70 years. This is something to be worried about. Or at least take the proper precautions."

_"Should I contact Director Fury?"_ Coulson asked through the comm.

"Yes," Bethany responded before turning to Clint. "How many agents are here?"

"A hundred agents, some scientists."

Bethany nodded, "Wait until we hear from Fury, but I'm going to suggest evacuating. I've heard horror stories about what that thing can do from a very reliable source."

"Honestly Bethany," Clint said, crossing his arms. "I think you should assume full control over the situation until Fury gets here. There's more than just SHIELD employees here. There's husbands and wives. Children."

"Shitttttttt," Bethany said, nodding. "But you know I can't take full control until another SHIELD agent vouches-"

"No need," Coulson said coming in. "You haven't had a mental lapse in fifteen years."

"That you know of," Bethany said with attitude, taking the outstretched phone from Coulson.

"_Stark? What's the situation?" _Fury said through the phone.

* * *

><p>Bethany and Coulson watched as people began to evacuate. Director Fury had agreed to give Bethany full control of the situation until he arrived. Her first priority was getting everyone out as safely as they could.<p>

Her phone buzzed in her pocket. Pulling it out, she sighed when she saw it was Steve. "This isn't really a good time," she told him softly, her tone making Coulson look at her strangely.

"_I thought you said it would be easy."_

"There's just a little situation. Look, I'm almost one hundred percent sure the communication towers around here will spark out. Just make it quick," she replied as she watched Coulson pretending not to listen.

"_It-it can wait_," he told her. _"Call me when you can?"_

"Okay," Bethany said bidding goodbye, closing her phone and her eyes.

"Problem?" Coulson asked.

Bethany sighed, "Not as big as the one at hand."

A little girl running in front of them tripped, her teddy bear falling to Bethany's feet. The girl looked terrified as Bethany bent down to pick it up. "Here you go sweetie," Bethany said to her, giving her a small smile. "Where's your parents?"

The girl took the bear, sucking her thumb. "I don't know," she mumbled around her thumb, tears welling in her eyes.

"What's your name?"

"Connie," she said taking her thumb out of her mouth.

Bethany moved to pick Connie, resting her on her hip. "Let's go find them."

Coulson's eyebrows shot up, but followed her as they began searching for Connie's parents. "I'm scared," Connie admitted.

"That's good," Bethany admitted. "Having fear is reasonable."

"Do you get scared?" Connie asked quietly, as Bethany pushed around some SHIELD agents.

Bethany sighed, "Sometimes."

"My daddy talks about you," Connie told her. "He says you're the best agent. That you do all the missions that are dangerous."

"Someone has to do them," Bethany told her. "But that doesn't mean I don't get scared. I just remember that fear is what keeps me going."

"Connie!" A woman screamed from across the hall.

"I think we found 'em," Bethany declared, giving Connie a smile.

As the woman ran over, she wiped away stray tears. "Thank you so much!"

"Just get out safe," Bethany told her before giving Connie a smile. "Stay strong, Connie."

As Bethany turned around, she ran right into Coulson. "Why are you standing there? There's things to do. Fury and Hill should be here any moment." Coulson nodded as they made their way outside. "Who's idea was it to have children here?"

"I'm afraid I don't know," Coulson admitted.

"I didn't even know SHIELD agents travelled with their families," Bethany muttered. "That seems like a stupid idea to me."

"Mostly the doctors and scientists. No one would bring their families on a field mission. But agents _do_ pursue relationships, Bethany."

"Oh, I'm aware of that," Bethany said, crossing her arms. "But what's the point in creating a relationship with someone if it isn't going to go anywhere. No marriage, no kids."

"They can do all that if they want," Coulson told her with a shrug of his shoulders. "It's not like you have to chose one or the other. Where is this coming from anyways?"

"I-I don't know. I guess I've been thinking about my life the last couple of weeks. SHIELD or just living a normal life. Which one is better? And is one worth giving the other up?"

Coulson didn't have time to answer as the helicopter began its descent. "How bad is it?" Fury asked as he and Maria Hill got out.

"That's the problem sir." Coulson admitted. "We don't know."

"Stark?" Hill said in her usual 'I'm-better-than-you-voice'.

Bethany crossed her arms, her dislike for Maria Hill coming out in spades. In Bethany's opinion, she should be the second-in-command to Fury. She could take Maria out in three seconds flat, and have her begging for mercy in ten. "Follow me," was all Bethany said as they made their way through the chaos and down to where the Tesseract was.

"We recorded an energy surge from the Tesseract four hours ago," Bethany explained.

"NASA didn't authorize any tests, Stark," Fury reminded her.

"They weren't doing any tests," Coulson started. "They weren't even in the room. Spontaneous event."

"It just turned itself on?" Hill asked, surprised.

Bethany raised her eyebrows. "Well, it _is_ an energy source. It does have the capacity to do that."

"What are the energy levels now?" Fury asked, trying to break the tension between the two female agents.

"Climbing," Coulson replied.

"We can't turn it down," Bethany added. "Most of the people have already evacuated, but there's still some people here."

"Coulson, can you make sure we get as many people out as possible?" Fury asked, to which the agent nodded and left.

"Sir, evacuation may be futile," Maria spoke up.

"Are you suggesting we let these people just stay here like nothing is wrong?" Bethany asked, folding her arms together as they walked down a staircase.

"If we can't control the Tesseract's energy, there may not be a minimum safe distance."

"Do you even hear what you're saying before you say it?" Bethany countered. "Trying and having the possibility of succeeding is better than not trying at all."

"Hill, I need you to make sure that the Phase Two prototypes are shipped out," Fury interrupted, very used to the opposing opinions of the agents.

"Sir, is that really a priority right now?"

Bethany concealed the urge to yell at her. _Of course it's a priority, there's no point to this project if they're lost…GAH!_

"Until such time as the world ends," Fury said before Bethany could exploded. "We will act as though it intends to spin on. Clear out the tech below. Every piece of Phase Two on a truck and gone."

"Yes sir," Hill said, clearly unhappy as she commanded two SHIELD agents to follow her.

"'Please' works the same way," Bethany muttered, not liking the fact she commanded the agents. "Just in here," she said pointing Fury towards Doctor Selvig.

"Talk to me doctor," Fury spoke up. "Is there anything we know for certain?"

"The Tesseract is misbehaving," Selvig explained easily.

"Is that supposed to be funny?" Fury asked, not pleased.

"It's just the truth," Bethany told him with a shrug.

"Not only is she active," Selvig explained, directing Fury to the data. "She's… behaving."

"I assumed you pulled the plug?" Fury questioned.

"She's an energy source," Selvig clarified. "We turn off the power, she turns it back on. If she reaches peak level-"

"We prepared for this, Doctor." Fury reminded him. "Harnessing energy from space."

"We can't do that until we have a harness," Bethany spoke up. "We still don't know how to transfer the energy into the prototype. And since every one of Dr. Zola's documents was destroyed during a HYDRA raid in 1944, we're going off calculations, which aren't complete yet."

"She's throwing off interference," Selvig enlightened. "Radiation. Nothing harmful, low levels of gamma radiation."

Bethany gave a dry chuckle, "In our experience, Doctor, that can be _very _harmful."

"Good choice ordering immediate evacuation," Fury commended.

"Yeah, well we don't want another Banner incident," Bethany said softly.

"Where's Agent Barton?"

Selvig scoffed, clearly unimpressed with Clint. "The Hawk? Up in his nest, as usual."

Fury called Clint down, ready to get the extra facts of the situation. "I gave you this detail so you could keep a close eye on things."

"Well," Clint said as they walked towards the Tesseract. "I see better from a distance."

"Have you seen anything that might set this thing off?"

Bethany took her gun out of its holster and checked for the fifth time that it was loaded. "No one's come or gone. Selvig's clean. No contacts, no IMs. If there's any tampering sir, it's not at this end."

"'At this end'?" Fury asked slowly.

"The cube is a portal," Bethany said quietly. "Theoretically, it opens a door to the other end of space. And Steve did confirm that when Schmidt touched the cube, he disappeared into thin air."

"Doors open from both sides," Clint added, agreeing with Bethany's words.

"Someone's knocking," Bethany sighed. "And we don't get to choose whether or not we answer."

As soon as she said this, the Tesseract began to act up immensely, the ground shaking violently. The bright blue light flashed through the room, sending energy everywhere. Bethany shielded her eyes as it passed her, but refused to lose her position.

Out of thin air, a man appeared. The first thing Bethany noticed was that he was basically in head to toe leather, never a good thing in her opinion. It meant this guy meant business, and frankly, she was still half on vacation mode.

Some of the guards began to approach him carefully, their guns trailed on him. "Sir," Fury spoke from beside Bethany. "Please put down the spear."

The leather-clad man looked at the spear in his hand before shooting it in the direction Bethany, Fury and Clint stood in. Springing into action, Bethany pushed them out of the way, feeling the cold sting of the blue rays hit her left arm, followed by extreme heat. There was also the fact that her right shoulder had popped out of place.

She groaned as all hell broke loose around her, but she knew she couldn't do much until she healed. She watched as SHIELD agent after SHIELD agent dropped to the floor, until the attacker was the only one standing. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him head for Clint, so she quickly bit her tongue and used what strength she had to ram her shoulder back into place.

Bethany then ripped open the arm of her jumpsuit where the blue ray hit her, seeing her skin charred and pealing, a sickening duo. Pain was overwhelming her, and she could barely see straight. Quickly, but not quick enough in Bethany's opinion, the skin healed and she was able to gain sense of herself again. Springing up, the man walked up to her.

"Such a lovely face," he said, looking down at her, running a finger down her cheek. "With such a… ravishing body."

Bethany swatted his hand away. "Don't touch me again, or I _will_ kill you."

His eyebrows moved up in delight. "Oh, and a temper too. I must say, you could just have a use to me yet."

Bethany barely had anytime to react as the spear landed on her heart. That part in her mind that always pushed away the fear of getting hurt told her not to move. That the damage would be done, healed and then she could kill the son-of-a-bitch for ruining her day. Except, no pain came. In fact, she could feel something flow into her heart, into her mind and take over completely. There was a brief moment of panic, and then, nothing. Everything seemed to make sense.

SHIELD was the enemy. And she was going to take them down.

* * *

><p>After yet another night of restless sleep, Steve sat in the kitchen, his laptop in front of him. He had been embarrassed to watch it around Bethany, but he wanted to watch the Captain America footage SHIELD had provided him with. Molly sat on his lap, purring away madly. A peanut butter sandwich on one side of his laptop, his phone on the other.<p>

Bethany hadn't called back yet. After a long day jogging around the city, pounding his anger out on a punching bag and then a cold shower, he realized his reactions were a little uncalled for. He didn't want her to say she loved him out of obligation, but in a moment when she truly felt it, like he had before she left, unable to keep it back. He wanted it to be spontaneous and heartfelt. That's why he called her. Truthfully, he'd rather apologize in person, but he just needed her to know he wasn't angry. Not now at least.

Pressing the space bar, a trick Bethany taught him the week prior, the screen paused on Steve giving his men instructions. In his hand was his compass, Bethany's smiling face shining through. He remembered being embarrassed that the camera had caught that, but he and Bethany were already together at that point, so he told himself it was no big deal.

Molly meowed as Steve's fingers stopped massaging her back. "Why hasn't she called?" Steve asked the calico colored cat. Molly cocked her head to the side, and Steve shook his head. "She told me not to worry. Why am I worrying?"

Molly jumped off his lap and went to her food bowl, seemingly done with Steve's attention. Closing the laptop, Steve got up and decided he needed some fresh air. Grabbing his sketchbook and pen, as well as his wallet and keys, he left the stuffy apartment.

As he wandered down the streets, he took everything in with bored eyes. Nothing seemed as exciting and new without Bethany explaining what they were for. Settling at a café, he pulled out his sketchbook and began to draw the tall buildings in front of him. He couldn't help but criticize the big, ugly and vulgar Stark Tower. Although, Bethany had said Tony was like Howard but flashier, so it really didn't surprise him much.

"Waiting on the big guy?" His waitress said, coming up to check on him.

"Ma'am?" He asked, genuinely confused.

"Iron Man," the waitress explained, turning up to look at the building briefly. "A lot of people eat here just to see him fly by."

Steve stared at the building, wondering if he would ever meet the man. He assumed he would if he and Bethany were going to be spending more time together. From what little reading on him he did, he understood that for the most part, Stark was a self-centered man. He wouldn't second guess him flying around just to give everyone a show.

"Right," Steve said, filling the silence. He watched as the girl twisted in her spot a little, something he often saw Bethany do when she was flirting with him, both past and present. He frowned a little, taking in the waitress' nametag which read 'Beth'. _Try to get away from her and everywhere,_ he thought to himself. "Maybe another time," Steve said taking out his wallet. He felt like he needed to get away from here. Why he chose a café right in front of a building with her name on it, he didn't really know. He was perpetually drawn to her.

He wasn't really thinking. Something that happened often when it came to Bethany.

"Table's yours as long as you like," she said pouring more water into his cup as Steve put some money on the table. "Nobody's waiting on it. Plus, we got free wireless."

As she started to walk away, Steve put his wallet back in his pocket. "Radio?" He asked, clearly not sure what she meant. The questioning look on her face seemed to tell him that he wasn't right. He'd have to ask… Bethany. _Everything comes back to Beth…_

"What happened to the girl from the ballgame?" He heard from behind him.

Steve turned to see the old man from the Yankees game. "Uh… we're kind of in a fight."

"You moron," he said before turning back to his companion.

Steve frowned for a second, but knew he was right. Collecting his stuff, he started walking again, not really sure where he was going until he ended up on the subway. To his luck, there were none of those girls from the first adventure. He found the characters of New York to be interesting, but he could never understand the fashion of this day and age.

He wasn't going to say they were all horrible. In fact, he rather enjoyed the pants that looked painted on. Bethany seemed to only wear them, and he loved the way she looked in them. He was always oddly attracted to her when she was wearing pants, more so than a dress. It was almost like when she was in pants, she was making a point to the world that she could do more than sit in a corner and look pretty.

The low cut tops were nice too, but Steve always felt embarrassed when he would stare a little too long. He had become accustomed to seeing Bethany in little or no clothes, and had long stopped blushing when seeing her exposed. But it was different with other women. It was almost like they were purposely flaunting their bodies to get a response, and Steve's response was looking in a completely different direction and forcing himself to think of other things.

He had to admit though, the dresses now-a-days were nicer. The colors were brighter, the prints bolder and the shape more flattering. Bethany had pointed out different types of dresses to him one night. The everyday dress, the maxi dress, the office dress and the LBD. He saw a difference in each and every single one, them all having a place and a purpose.

He ended up at the gym. He wasn't consciously thinking about it, but he knew he needed to work off some more steam. He felt anxious and jittery, and just needed to punch something and quick. He wasn't used to doing weeks of basically just sitting. Steve wouldn't go as far to say he missed the war, but he definitely missed the action. He couldn't live like this; he had to do something to keep himself active. Just yet another thing he would have to discuss with Bethany when she got back.

"All alone today?" The owner said as Steve walked up to him.

"She's on a business trip," Steve said as he pulled out the wad of bills.

"Glad to see she has a friend though," he said as he counted the bills. "Always came in here alone. She'd get some of the boys in the ring and wipe them out in ten seconds flat. That girl is something special, but always seems so reserved. The boys have a theory that she's a secret agent."

Steve gave a polite smile as the man handed him the key. "Just don't forget to lock up."

* * *

><p>"You here with a mission sir?" Steve asked as he unrolled the tape from his hands. He could feel his sweat dance down his back, his memories still hazing his mind a little. He had seen Schmidt, Peggy, Bucky, Bethany. All little memories, some good and some bad. And what attacked him the hardest was the vague memory of being trapped inside the ice.<p>

"I am," Director Fury responded.

"Trying to get me back in the world?"

"Trying to save it," Steve looked up where Fury was holding out a folder. He instantly recognized what was in it.

"HYDRA's secret weapon," he said sitting down and looking at it. He thought he had seen the last of it.

"Howard Stark fished that out of the ocean when he was looking for you," Fury explained. "He thought what we think; the Tesseract could be the key to unlimited sustainable energy. That's something the world sorely needs."

"Who took it from you?" Steve asked, handing the file back.

"He's called Loki," Fury said slowly. "He's… not from around here. There's another thing you need to know, Captain. It's about Agent Stark."

Steve tried to not let it show in his body that he was anxious. That he knew whatever Fury was about to say couldn't be good, because if everything was fine, he knew Bethany would be there with him, helping him understand everything that revolved around the blue cube. "What about Bethany?"

Fury sighed, "Loki has her under some kind of… let's say spell. The world has gotten even stranger than you already know."

"Is she okay?" He asked, standing up, clenching his fists tightly.

"Are far as we know; yes. Although her thoughts aren't her own. They're being controlled by Loki."

"Can it be undone?" Steve asked, trying to sound calm but knowing his worry was slipping through. He just got her back. He couldn't lose her again. And especially not how they left things.

"We're still unsure," Fury admitted. "Look, we're not saying that Agent Stark is the enemy, but if you're in, you have to be prepared for the possibility of having to fight her."

Steve picked up his bag and moved to pick up one of the punching bags he had lined up. "There's a debriefing packet waiting for you at Agent Stark's apartment… Is there anything you can tell us about the Tesseract that we ought to know now?"

"You should've left it in the ocean," Steve told him, jaw clenched.

* * *

><p>Phil Coulson loved his job. Every day brought a new adventure, a new location and a new face to meet. He especially loved that he was privy to all the world's secrets. But one thing he hated about his job was that when something happened to their own, it was like something happened to all of them.<p>

Upon hearing about Loki's attack, taking the Tesseract and him claiming Bethany, Clint and Selvig for himself, they knew what they had to do. They had to assemble the Avengers. There wasn't another option. They weren't prepared to go up against a demi-god, an agent with incredible shot and another with, for all intents and purposes, immortality. Fury was to inform Rogers, since the man barely knew anyone. Natasha was to go after Banner. She was the closest to him at the present moment, and they all knew she could take care of herself. It was Coulson's job to inform Tony, a task he knew wasn't going to be simple. Especially since his beloved aunt was MIA.

A fleeting thought in his head reminded him how easy it would be for Bethany to assemble them all. She had a personal relationship with the three men, and they all trusted her. But then again, all three of the men would jump at the opportunity to help in getting her back, if not saving the world. And this Coulson understood. He never knew what it was, but there was something about Bethany that made everyone want to help her. She could take care of herself, but there was just this quality. Clint once said it was because of how young she looks and its deception on everyone. She looked like a helpless woman, petite and young, innocent. It was only upon closer inspection that someone would see how harden time had made her and that she was far from being a helpless woman and innocence would never be able to describe her again.

As the elevator door opened, Coulson hung up the phone. "Security breech!" Tony declared. "That's on you."

"Mr. Stark," Coulson greeted.

"Phil," Pepper said with a smile. "Come in."

"Phil?" Tony asked with a frown as he following Pepper.

"I can't stay," Coulson informed them, as Tony rambled on about Coulson's first name being 'Agent'.

"Come on in. We're celebrating," Pepper insisted.

"Which is why he can't stay," Tony corrected her.

Coulson held out a SHIELD tablet for Tony. "We need you to look this over. As soon as possible. It's time sensitive."

"I don't like being handed things-"

"Mr. Stark," Coulson interrupted, not up to playing his games. "It involves Bethany."

Tony's joking demeanor dropped immediately, snatching the tablet away and quickly moving to open it. "What happened to her?"

"She's been brainwashed by a man named Loki," Coulson explained. "She's completely under his control now. We need you to look over this and come in. These are the other Avengers candidates, who we've also called in. It's imperative that we get back both Bethany and the cube Loki stole."

Tony's eyes flickered over the images projected. "The Avengers Initiative was scrapped, I thought," Tony muttered, eyes being drawn to Steve's screen. He didn't need a description box telling him who he was. Tony was very familiar with his face and name. The knowledge that the man was, in fact, walking around the streets of New York, however, was new information. Through his childhood, he got the idea from his father and Bethany that she and Captain America were close. He could only imagine how Bethany reacted when she found out that Steve wasn't dead like everyone thought. "And I didn't even qualify."

"This has gotten out of our hands," Coulson explained, moving down to stand near him. "They found Steve two weeks ago. Perfect condition. I already know he'll agree to help us."

"Why?" Tony asked. "Because he's all about freedom and righteousness?"

Coulson frowned. "No. Because he and Bethany had a relationship."

"Wait, what?" Pepper said. "Bethany had a relationship with _who_?"

"Captain America?" Tony asked. "My aunt had a- this explains my entire childhood."

Tony was always under the impression that they were close friends. Tony was under the impression that Bethany was asexual, since she never seemed interested in men _or_ women. But knowing that she and the Captain had a history seemed to make sense now. He had to give her credit, if she went seventy years pining after Captain Rogers, that was real emotion.

"I'm under the impression they've rekindled the flame," Coulson added with a small smile, as if this brought him great pleasure. "She's been helping him adjust."

Tony's eyes shot up momentarily, now understanding why every time he called those past weeks, she told him she was busy. If Steve was back, they'd no doubt be spending every moment possible together, trying to work things out. "Was it… serious?"

"Have you ever hacked into SHIELD's database to read about Bethany's medical history?" Coulson asked, folding his arms.

"A lot of it is redacted," Tony mumbled.

"She was pregnant in 1944," Coulson revealed.

"What?!" Pepper shouted, all this information being an overload for her.

Tony turned his gaze to Coulson slowly. "What happened?" He asked cautiously. He had been under the impression that he knew who Bethany was, her past and her present. But clearly there was a lot that she was hiding from him.

"That we don't know," Coulson explained. "Bethany refuses to talk about it. But our focus should be solely on getting her back, not her relationship with Captain Rogers."

Tony nodded as Phil and Pepper left, leaving him with _a lot_ of homework and a sense of uneasiness of not knowing exactly who his aunt, the only family he had left and a woman he secretly admired was.


	17. Chapter 17

****A/N: This would've been posted earlier, but we got a dump load of snow, and shovelling took precedence. Yes, there was _that_ much snow. It's sickening really. **

**There's a lot of different POV's and scenery changes in here, but I wanted to try and capture everything. And it's also short. I tried to make it as long as I could, but I'm suffering from an acute case of writer's block. Nothing to be worried about, though. I just need to push pass it. **

**Also, the dress I mention in this chapter? Google 'Hayden Panettiere Emmys 2012'. **

Chapter 17

Tony was vaguely aware that it was almost two in the morning, but he couldn't bring himself to turn in. He was too overwhelmed by everything Coulson revealed. This demi-god stealing an object his father had found in 1945 while looking for the super soldier who coincidently was just found two weeks prior, and not to mention, had a life his definition of a loner.

He wasn't an idiot. He knew Bethany was a beautiful woman, and there was no doubt she had lots of good qualities. She was kind, caring, _brilliant_, witty and had a way about her that made people want to protect her. There was also the fact that she was strong, confident and could definitely take anyone out. It was just that the entire time he knew her, she was single. And the one time he asked her about her life of solitude, she told him that some heartbreaks were too hard to overcome.

Apparently, it was Captain fucking America, who up until a couple hours ago, had an annoyingly squeaky clean image of purity. Coulson didn't say that the kid Bethany had once been carrying was the great American hero's, but he had a gut-wrenching feeling that it was. Throughout his childhood, he heard stories from both his father and aunt. About his heroics, about how he never put himself first. The way the two people who he looked up to the most talked about this man, as if he was the messiah or something, made him loath the man. Especially since he blamed the star spangled man for his father's lack of interest in his life.

Hacking into Bethany's server, he screened the websites she had been on recently. There was the usual; the weather network, local hair salons and world news. Then there was also an abundance of broad question searches like 'who were the Beatles?' and 'world war two timeline'. Things that Bethany _definitely _knew. _So, the iceman was there_. _And she didn't return my calls. Bethany, what have you been up to?_

Bethany wasn't the type to let a man run all over her. She spent the majority of her life working for SHIELD. If she was to hop back into a relationship with someone who clearly left her in shambles, would she give up working for SHIELD in favor of a life with him? It really didn't seem likely. And wasn't that what all 1940's men wanted? A housewife? The thought of Bethany cleaning the house with her hair in curlers and an apron around her waist made him laugh out loud. _That wasn't going to happen._

But then, there was the fact that it almost _did _happen. That she almost became a mother, doomed to staying in the house and bending to her husband's every beck and call. That would've broke her, someone who loved control. Tony understood; he walked into a room and wanted everyone to know that he was bigger and better. There was only one person he gave the spotlight to in his entire life, and that was Bethany.

Leaning back in his chair, he pinched the bridge of his nose. _Why do you care_? He asked himself, reaching for his glass and finishing it off. He really didn't care about people's relationships, past or present. If it didn't directly involve him, it didn't matter. But even as he turned his attention to Bruce Banner's file, he couldn't concentrate.

_You care 'cause it's Bethany,_ Tony thought sighing, turning off the holographic file and calling it a night. _And she's the only family you have_.

* * *

><p>Bethany didn't really know where they are. More than that, she didn't have the need to know. She didn't have the need for anything; food, sleep, answers. She felt oddly liberated, free, just as Loki had promised. She knew her sole purpose, and that was to do whatever the god asked her of. Which currently consisted on explaining how she was struck by the blue energy of his spectre and was fine.<p>

"Interesting," Loki said, moving in closer. "And here I thought all mortals were disposable. But you… SHIELD must hold you in great interest. I bet you know _everything_."

Bethany gave him a ghost of a smile. "Let's just say, you're achieving a lot by having me here."

"Is that so?" Loki said, cocking his head to the side. "Well, now that I have the Tesseract, how do you think they will react?"

"In hidden panic," Bethany admitted. "They don't know what you want with the Tesseract, or what threat you bring. They'll do the only thing that'll make sense to them. They'll assemble a response team."

Loki gave her a devilish smile. "And should I be concerned?"

"In theory, they're a threat," Bethany promised. "But in reality, they haven't seen action together. They're untrained and therefore will cause chaos, with enough motivation."

Loki nodded, soaking in her words. "Care to divulge in the secrets of this organization and it's 'response team'?"

"It would be my genuine pleasure."

* * *

><p>"Welcome aboard, Captain Rogers," Coulson said, outstretching his hand. "Agent Phil Coulson."<p>

"Pleasure," Steve said stiffly, looking around at the small aircraft they were in. It made him slightly uneasy, but he knew that he had no choice in the events about to unfold. He had to save Bethany. There was nothing more important to him right now than restoring her sanity. "Beth has said some very kind things about you."

"Agent Stark is probably the best mentor anyone could ever ask for," Coulson revealed as the plane began to take off. "I'm very grateful for her knowledge, not to mention her friendship."

Steve nodded slowly, his eyes showing pain. Coulson felt bad for the man. The one thing that was keeping him grounded, keeping him sane in this new world was ripped away from him. It was clear that Steve felt lost. "Please, take a seat. We'll be arriving at the SHIELD hellicarrier, shortly."

Steve complied, his hands twisting together nervously. "Does this… happen often?"

Coulson shrugged, "Not to this extent. We're confident in our team though. Everyone at SHIELD has put finding the Tesseract number one on their agendas. We're quite good at finding out information, Captain Rogers. Hopefully we'll have Loki's location by the end of the day, if not sooner."

"And what then?" Steve asked, brow furrowed slightly.

"If we're lucky, Loki will give in. Although, in my experience, it's never that easy. Doesn't make things easier that our best asset is compromised."

"Beth," Steve stated quietly.

Coulson nodded. "It's a great advantage to have someone so experienced and expendable. Loki having her, having control over her mind, only brings us worry. She know _everything_, Captain. About the Tesseract, SHIELD's work, the key members of the team. She could expose our weaknesses."

"Is it-" he trailed off, taking in a deep breath. "Do you think you can reverse the effects that this Loki has cast on her?"

"That's hard to say," Coulson admitted. "Whatever this is, it's taken over her mind, the one thing Bethany hasn't been able to heal throughout the years. Her brain? Yes. But her mind? The things that happen _inside_? No."

"But it's a priority?" Steve asked, sitting up straighter.

"As soon as Bethany is back in our custody, SHIELD will do whatever they can, Captain. I assure you, she's a valued member of our organization. Her absence has taken a toll on every SHIELD department; field ops, mechanics, medical. You'll hear a lot of whispers about her on board. She's been a lot of agents' rock. The Phoenix is a great reassurance to everyone."

Steve frowned, "'The Phonenix'?"

"It's her codename," Coulson explained with a small smile. "The mythical creature who rises from it's ashes and heals others? Although she wasn't too pleased when it was given to her. She claims she's nothing like the bird, since she doesn't rise from anything, and only heals herself."

"Beth… isn't one for nicknames," Steve said fondly. "She'll give you one, but hates it in return."

"Well, not all apparently," Coulson reminded him. "If I were to call her 'Beth', she'd knock me out before I even saw it coming."

Steve nodded, knowing full well that she didn't let just anyone call her 'Beth'.

_"What are you doing?" Bethany asked, looking up from her book. She was laying in Steve's bed, his thin sheet the only thing cover her. _

_ Sitting at his desk, facing her, he chuckled, "Drawing."_

_ She made a face, putting her book down and gathering the sheets over to where he was sitting. "You're drawing me naked?"_

_ "No," Steve said as Bethany sat on his lap, the sheet cascading around them. "The sheet is covering you."_

_ "Why don't I have a face?" She asked, playing with the hairs at the back of his head. _

_ Steve leaned in and kissed her forehead. "I haven't decided if I'm going to draw your face as it is now, or not."_

_ Bethany chuckled, "And that means what exactly?"_

_ "You have red lipstick all over it, my darling."_

_ Bethany's face dropped, getting up and moving to the little mirror on the wall. "This stuff is too much of a hassle," she said, trying to rub it off. Steve just walked up behind her, pressing his body against hers, circling his arms around her torso._

_ "I like it," he said kissing her shoulder. "I like the marks it leaves on my body."_

_ Bethany moaned when he sucked gently on her sweet spot. "Don't start anything you can't finish. You told Bucky we'd go out tonight, remember?"_

_ Steve groaned, "Why did I say that again?"_

_ "Because ever since your last raid, you've barely left this room." Bethany reminded him, fingers trailing his arms lightly. "And don't call me 'darling'."_

_ Steve frowned, meeting her gaze through the mirror. "Huh?"_

_ "'Darling'," Bethany repeated. "Pet names are… I don't know, they just sound awkward."_

_ "So I can't call you 'darling'?" Steve clarified. "Sweetheart, love, doll face?"_

_ Bethany turned in his arms, leaning up to kiss his jaw. "I'd probably let you get away with it, but Beth is a stretch. I mean, only Howard and my dad ever called me that. Not that I don't like you saying it, it's just, that's personal. Pet names… are corny sometimes. Overused, by some couples."_

_ "What if I only say them occasionally in public?" Steve asked, tangling his fingers in her hair. _

_ Bethany sighed, rolling her eyes. "I guess I could accept that. But, you have to do something for me in return."_

_ "And what's that?" Steve asked, ghosting his lips over her forehead. _

_ "One day, and that day is only when you're comfortable with it, you need to fuck me. And I mean, hard."_

_ Steve's eyes darkened a little, "Betha-"_

_ "That is my condition," She cut him off. "Like I said, not now. But someday. I'm extremely durable, or have you forgotten?"_

_ "I just…" he sighed, cupping her face. "I don't want to hurt you."_

_ "Sometimes," Bethany began, lightly running her nails over his body. "Pain is pleasure."_

_ "Beth-"_

_ She shushed him with a light kiss. "I love that you're gentle and considerate. You never fail to put my pleasure first, and I appreciate that. I really do. But one day the passion will just build and build, and I want you to let go and just let it take over you."_

_ He sighed shaking his head, "I broke through a door the other day," he reminded her. "If I just let go, I'll really hurt you."_

_ "Just think about it? Believe me, one day you'll want it. It'll be immediate and I don't want you to think twice. And _after_ that, you can call me pet names as much as you want, and I promise not to make any faces."_

_ Steve sighed, kissing her nose. "I'll think about it."_

_ "Until then," Bethany said, dropping the sheet around her. "I was thinking we could change things up a little."_

_ "Change up how?" Steve asked raising an eyebrow._

_ "On the ground, against the wall, in the shower…" She said trailing a seductive finger down his chest. _

_ She watched as his Adam's apple bobbed slowly. "Tha-that-that could be nice."_

_ Bethany chuckled, her tongue slipping between her teeth slightly. "Calm yourself soldier, we're still going out with Bucky and Gabriella tonight."_

_ Steve groaned as she slipped away from his grasp. "The one time I actually have a date who's actually interested in me while double dating with Bucky, and I don't want to go."_

_ "That's called irony. Now put on some clothes," Bethany instructed, throwing the discarded pile at his face. _

_ "You're a cruel woman sometimes," Steve pretended to be serious, but his smile slipped through._

_ "You still love me," Bethany pointed out with a wink as she began to put her undergarments on. _

_ Steve sighed. "I still you love."_

* * *

><p>Bethany and Loki sat in the most secluded place they could find, Loki listening intently as Bethany shared secret after secret about not only SHIELD, but who they would call in to help with recovering the Tesseract.<p>

"His weakness is other people," Bethany told him, never skipping a beat. There was no emotion in her face, nor her voice. It was almost robotic in a way, programmed to bid to every will and desire. "He'll always do what he thinks is right. He's too righteous to let other people suffer, especially on his own account."

"I see," Loki said, leaning forward. "And if I wanted to expose the weak part of this soldier out of time, see him crumble and break his noble façade, how should I go about that?"

"Steve wears his heart on his sleeve, but he doesn't let it get in the way of work. Although, I can guarantee you, he's vulnerable right now."

"And why's that?" Loki said, that same devil-like smile crossing his face.

"Because I'm here," Bethany told him. "Because I'm the enemy."

"Yes, you _are _proving to be useful," Loki said with glee. "Now, go back to the beast."

"Dr. Banner?" Bethany clarified.

"Are you _sure_ they'll ask him to join them?"

Bethany nodded with no hesitation. "The Tesseract was giving off gamma radiation. Without a doubt, SHIELD will ask him to find the cube by channelling the gamma rays."

"How do I break him out, shall the moment arise?"

"You can't control the Hulk," Bethany said, eyes darkening slightly. "Nothing will ever control him. He's an unthinking being. No emotion, no regrets. He does what he wants, when he wants and how he wants it done."

"Just like you," Loki said with a wicked smile.

"The Hulk emerges during anger," Bethany continued. "Whenever there's danger around. Inviting him to join them will prove hazardous."

* * *

><p>Banner was walking on eggshells. It had been a <em>really <em>long time since he had been in western civilization. But more than that, he was looking at every little source that could break the other guy out. He was secretly proud of how long he's gone without losing control, but it only made him think the big guy was ready to burst out at any moment.

But he knew he had to be here. If not to find the cube, then to find Bethany. Since the accident, she was the only one to really care about his well-being, always being there to help cover up his messes. She never seemed to judge him, telling him that he didn't have to be alone during this time. That she was there to help, and she should've told him from the beginning that she was present during the original super soldier project. Then again, he probably wouldn't have believed her if she did. But after the whole gamma ray ordeal, he wasn't ever going to rule out the possibility of anything anymore.

"Dr. Banner," He heard as he distanced himself from getting body checked in multiple directions. Turning around, he saw Agent Romanoff standing next to someone he instantly recognized as Steve Rogers.

"Yeah, hi." Banner said, shaking Steve's outstretched hand. In a way, it was a little unreal to have the success of the first super soldier right in front of him. "They told me you would be coming."

"Word is you can find the cube," Steve said with a light air.

"Is that the only word on me?" Banner asked curiously, looking around.

"Only word I care about," Steve answered truthfully. _Huh_, Banner thought. _He's just like Bethany, seemingly not worried or afraid of the other guy. _

"It must be strange for you, all of this."

"Well," Steve said looking around. "This is actually kind of familiar."

"Gentlemen," Natasha spoke up. "You might want to step inside a minute. It's going to get a little hard to breathe."

After it was established that they were not on a submarine, but in a flying carrier, Bruce could feel the other guy start to get restless. There was suddenly a million other things that could set him off. He knew that he could handle it, but he knew that the probability of finding the Tesseract or Bethany with no troubles from the other guy at all was not going to be easy.

As Steve looked around as they walked through the halls, Banner felt bad for the man. Even to him, the technology around was impressive. Easing him into the world again wasn't an easy task for anyone to do. They'd have to deal with endless questions, confusions and impatient responses.

"How long have you been… out?" Banner asked, twisting his hands together.

"Two weeks," Steve told him, his eyes endlessly looking around.

"And how's it been?"

Steve shrugged. "Not as bad as you'd think. I know how to use Google, so I think I'll be okay."

Banner chuckled softly. "Yes, that helps."

"He's been staying with Bethany," Natasha revealed. "And you know Bethany."

"That one never gives up," Banner said, saying what they were all thinking. "Smart to have her help you ease back into this life."

Steve nodded solemnly, and as Bruce took a closer look, he could see that Steve's jaw was locked tight, almost like he was trying not to… _cry_? Blinking, Bruce checked again. Yeah, he looked like he was trying not to cry.

"We'll get her back," Bruce assured him.

"You close with her?" Steve asked, voice strong despite his crumbling emotions.

"Not really," Bruce admitted. "But she's been the only constant in my life for a long time. Whenever there's a problem with… the other guy, she's always there. As soon as I heard she was missing, I knew I had to be here."

"Yeah, I really should've started off our conversation with that tip of information," Natasha admitted, remembering how easy it was to convince him to follow her as soon as she told him about the missing agent. "Now keep up. We're almost at the central control deck."

* * *

><p>"Tell me what you need," Loki insisted as Bethany took her place next to him. Loki had asked her to stay close to him, and she complied, not questioning her role. There was no need to. There were no thoughts of unfairness or defiance. She had her orders, and she was going to follow them.<p>

"I need a distraction," Clint responded, opening up his bow. "And an eyeball."

Loki smiled, "Excellent. And I have just the thing for a distraction." With that, Loki turned to Bethany, pushing the end of her ponytail off her shoulder. "Of course, we'll have to get you something better to wear, my dear. If you're to accompany me, that is. And I'd so like that."

"Of course," Bethany told him, blinking once.

"Something that will make you shine like the goddess you are. Something," Loki said putting his finger on his mouth. "Something that will make the super soldier even more vulnerable."

* * *

><p>Steve stood at the deck next to agent Coulson who barely left his side since he got there. There were a million computers all around him, and from what he could understand, trying to track Bethany, Loki and Clint.<p>

It was both nice and weird putting a face to the name of all these agents. Sure, Bethany had photos of some of them, but seeing them in three dimension, seeing their mannerisms and attitudes… frankly, it didn't surprise Steve that the Bethany he had returned to had a hard time breaking out of her shell. They all seemed so reserved. The air around the hellicarrier was similar to the SSR bases; work, work, work.

The photo they used to scan Bethany's facial structures bore into his soul. Her eyes were cold, filled with nightmares, jaw set and face pale. She was terrifyingly beautiful and Steve could feel his heart clench. He loved her, he knew that. It wasn't just her smile, laughter or knowledge. It wasn't her image, or her appeal. Despite her change, he still loved her undeniably. So much in fact that he had learned to forgive her for her mistakes. He would continue to love her no matter what, no matter who she wanted to be, but he knew that the blond hair beauty who couldn't stop laughing at the simplest of things was dying to break free. That past week had proved that much.

"It's a vintage set," Coulson told him, continuing with their conversation that Steve was only still apart of to be polite. "It took me a couple of years to collect them all."

Out of all the SHIELD agents, Bethany had mentioned Phil Coulson the most. The way she spoke of him was with a hint of pride, as if a mother bragging about her son's achievements. _"He's one of the best agents I've ever met, not because of his brains or tactics, but because of his heart."_

Steve could tell that she was right. Coulson's heart was in the right place. "Near mint," Coulson continued. Steve could feel the excitement rolling off of him. Getting reactions like this wasn't a new thing. There were the women from when he was in the USO shows, who fawned over him. It was always a confidence booster, the way they blushed when they saw him, but he always thought that their admiration should go to someone who was actually _making_ a difference in the war. Not just the poster boy.

Then there were the girls who adored him while he _was_ making a difference. It was no secret that Steve Rogers was Captain America and Captain America was Steve Rogers. Women from not only around the base, but everywhere he went smiled and flirted with him, insinuating more than Steve could ever imagine. He never cared though, since his heart was locked on to one person only.

Of course, there were men who also admired him. Who shook his hand, and thanked him with all their heart for helping them end the war. But Coulson didn't fall into either of these categories. No, Coulson was more like the kid fan base he had. "Slight foxing around the edges, but-"

"We got a hit," An agent announced. "A 67% match." Coulson started over to the screen, accepting the interruption. Somethings were more important than trading cards. Not much, but some things. "Wait, cross match. 79."

"Location?" Coulson asked over his shoulder.

"Stuttgart, Germany. 28 Konigstrasse." The agent revealed. "He's not exactly hiding."

"I have a match too," the agent from the next computer spoke up. "It's Agent Stark. Same location."

Steve took a few steps forward to see Bethany's image pop up on the screen. Even though he knew she couldn't get hurt, he needed reassurance. And there she was, hair pulled high into a bun, glittering beautifully in a teal and gold gown.

"Captain," Steve heard from behind him. Director Fury stood at the main computer, expectantly. "You're up."

* * *

><p>As Bethany and Loki made their way through the grand building, arm in arm, Bethany kept her head poised. Loki told her they weren't hiding from the cameras, that they <em>shouldn't<em> hide from the cameras. That the world should see who would rule them, him, a god, and she would be by his side.

He had called her a goddess, and she could tell that he wasn't just flattering her. He even bought her a dress a goddess would wear; blue and gold wrapped around her tightly, but with see through material hanging around her like a toga. It was his gift to her, to show her the worth she had in his eyes. Yes, she was a pawn in his game, but in theory, the perfect woman. He seemed almost obsessed with the fact that she was human, yet was living a life like a god. Eternal. She wasn't weak. Breakable. Bethany was strong, resilient and ready for anything. There was no one more perfect to rule with him, especially since she was under his spell. She wouldn't second guess his orders, talk back to him, and pick a fight over something as simple as him not telling her he appreciated her enough. Things couldn't be more perfect.

The real Bethany would've hated to just be considered arm candy. She would've fought against everything he said, did her own thing and defy over and over again. She wasn't a glass menagerie on a shelf, only to be looked at and nothing else. But this hypnotized Bethany didn't even see the difference. It didn't bother, nor flatter her that Loki was choosing her. All she wanted was to serve him in any way he would ask.

As two security guards stopped them, Bethany quietly moved to neutralize them in three moves, not even breaking a sweat. Loki watched in amusement as the men fell to the floor by their feet and Bethany stepped over them. "What's next?" She asked, ready to move on to the next step.

"I'm about to conduct that distraction," Loki explained. "What I want you to do is stay hidden until they arrive. Then, my goddess, you come out and torture him in a way only you can."

Bethany nodded once, watching as Loki stepped away to complete the two things Barton needed; a distraction and an eyeball.

* * *

><p>"Mr. Stark," Steve said after retrieving his shield. Together, the two stood above Loki, who was seemingly surrendering.<p>

"Captain," Tony responded casually before leaning down a little in attempt to intimidate the god. "Where is she?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Loki said, a smug smile on his face.

"Bethany," Tony stated, pushing Loki on his back. "You know, yay high, brown hair, green eyes. The inability to get hurt? She's not easily forgotten. She makes a statement when she comes back from the dead."

"Oh yes, her." Loki said, smiling.

"Yeah, her. Now where is she? 'Cause let me tell you, I don't take kindly to people messing with my family. And I know Cap here is just as anxious, so why don't you save yourself a lot of embarrassment and-"

"You think threatening him is the way to get her back?" Steve interrupted. "SHIELD said she was here also."

"I'm surprised you _aren't_ threatening him, considering your… history."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Steve asked as Natasha and another SHIELD agent pulled Loki up and began to take him to the helicopter.

The front of Tony's helmet moved upwards, revealing his cocky expression. "It means you're no more of a boy scout than I am."

Steve went to open his mouth, but his gaze was caught by a glittering gold from behind the iron-clad man. "Beth?"

It was clearly her, looking more dangerously beautiful than ever before. The street lights hit the sparkles of her dress in all the right ways. The gown clung to her tightly, as if sewn directly onto her. It framed her curves perfectly, reminding Steve just how impossibly perfect her frame was. She looked royal and evil and angelic all at the same time.

Tony turned to see Bethany walking forward, her gun pointed directly at Steve. "Bethany?"

"Hello boys," she said with a sickening smile on her face. "How brave and noble; coming to save the damsel in distress?"

"Beth," Steve said slowly, taking a step forward. "Put the gun down."

She only responded by clicking the safety off. "I'm not Cinderella. I'm not a princess stuck in a tower. I'm not stuck in an eternal sleep. I don't need to be rescued. I'm a murderer," she said, expanding the last word. "I _kill_ people for a living. I'm not worth saving. Moreover, I don't _want _to be saved. Especially by you."

"You feminist are driving me insane," Tony muttered.

"You don't know what you're saying," Steve said to Bethany, advancing forward slowly.

"No, but I do," Bethany assured. "I have more blood on my hands than you could ever fathom. And we both know who my first kill was."

"Kill the dramatics," Tony spoke.

For the first time since the serum, Steve felt weak and sick. This Bethany in front of him was almost dangling her sins in front of his face as to remind him that she wasn't the angel he made her out to be. It reminded him so much of when he first discovered her pregnancy, or lack thereof. She seemed heartless.

"Would you like to join them?" Bethany asked, cocking her head to the side. "Meet our son or daughter?"

"Enough," Steve said, his voice strong. "Put the gun down."

"Or what?" Bethany asked, tempting him. "You'll kill me? We both know you wouldn't do that. That it's physically impossible for you to hurt me. Even when I wanted you to."

"Do I even want to know?" Tony asked, making a face.

"Beth-" Steve started as she pulled the trigger. Steve ducked behind the shield, as the rounds hit it.

The light clinking of the lead hitting the vibranium stopped as Steve heard a heavy 'thunk'. Peering around his shield, he saw Bethany lying unconscious on the pavement, blood trickling heavily from her skull.

"You're welcome," Tony said from behind her.

"What did you do?" Steve asked, dropping his shield and running over to her.

"Um, stopped her from shooting you," Tony said plainly.

Steve turned her head, looking at the heavy intend of her skull where Tony punched in. Her body was completely still as he picked her up. "You didn't need to hurt her."

"Okay, I've known Bethany _way_ longer than you have, and yeah. I did. She _doesn't give up_. And possessed Bethany is no exception."

After collecting his shield, Steve carried her to the helicopter where her breathing had started again, slowly, but surely. Strapping her into one of the seats, he carefully touched the part of her skull that was healing.

"At least I got her to stop," Tony explained as Natasha surveyed the unconscious girl. Natasha only rolled her eyes before moving to the pilot's seat, ready for takeoff.

* * *

><p><strong>**AN: Cognitive recalibration, Tony Stark style.  
><strong>

**I know it seems like Bethany wasn't hypnotized for long, but there's so much that I can do with her and Steve with what I've done. I'm really excited to share it with you guys. Plus my favorite parts of the movie are coming up, and I want Bethany to be present for that. **

**Kadienewberg: Yes, I did know about Bucky being the Winter Soldier. The story will basically follow the general plot of all the Marvel movies to come, just me plopping Bethany into it. Honestly, when I first read about Bucky, I actually was like "man, Steve just can't catch a break". From what little I do know about the movie, I already have a general idea of where Bethany can fit. I'm actually really excited because it's two years after the whole Avengers thing, so I'll have fun developing their relationship.**

**lilnightmare17: I have NO intention on giving up :) **

**BellaDamonLover: Hopefully the next chapter will make it up to you! It'll be full of Steve/Bethany moments. **

**No, I don't listen to Little Mix. Maybe I'll give 'em a listen to after I get tired of Nikki Yanofsky. It's bound to happen soon since she's been on repeat for two weeks.**

**FeliciaFelicis: HAHA, oh wow. Yes, I understand exactly how annoying that is. But fondueisjustcheeseandbread is the only thing I could think of. I mean, what would his password really be? Freedom1234? **


	18. Chapter 18

****A/N: I wanted this up days ago but my writer's block is weird; I have ideas. Lots, actually. But when it comes to getting them down, I suddenly forget how the conversation went in my head. **

**But after a lot of sleepless nights and long distance conversations with my sister (also known as the reason of my sanity), I've pushed through it. I think I'll be good now. I'm not going to abandon this, so don't worry! Although just a head's up; 3 assignments due next Wednesday all worth more than 30%. So it may be a couple days before the next update. **

**Starts off with a flashback. I needed a way to ease back into the plot and it felt weird where I originally had it. Cute little fluff that I believe is always welcomed. ALSO; the story just hit 220 pages in Word. That's what I call an accomplishment. **

Chapter 18

_Steve had seen a lot in his life. Some of it was beautiful. Some of it was horrible. But there were fewer things that were so breathtakingly wonderful, he felt as if he was floating. Seeing Bethany's face in the sweet, tortuous build-up, release and fall was on top of the exclusive list. _

_"What are you doing?" Bethany panted as Steve—who was resting his chin on her belly button—laid a soft kiss on her skin. _

_ "Just memorizing every inch of your body," he said quietly as she moved her hands to his shoulders. _

_ "Good idea," she said reaching over to the nightstand for some water. "Do it now before it's wrinkly and fat."_

_ Steve chuckled against her stomach, planting another kiss. "I don't love you for your body. It's just an added benefit."_

_ "What's your favorite part?" Bethany asked as her breathing became stable. _

_ Steve thought about it hard. Every inch of her was taunt and smooth. There were things like the little freckles on her shoulder, one right under her belly button that always caught his attention, but he knew the little details wasn't what Bethany meant._

_ "My favorite thing about you," Bethany started, fingers pushing back his hair. "is your arms. No… That's my favorite thing about your body. My favorite thing in your appearance is your head."_

_ "My head?" Steve said, raising an eyebrow._

_ "You have nice features," she said with a small shrug. "Beautiful blue eyes, shiny blond hair, strong jaw, perfect nose. Not to mention an incredibly full bottom lip. Hence; nice features. But seriously, ask Howard. I've always been attracted to men with good hair."_

_ Steve chuckled again, his lips lazily moving up her stomach, pulling his body up with them. "Am I allowed to pick your head too?"_

_ "Nope," Bethany said, letting out a giggle as his kisses found a ticklish spot. "My body. I picked your arms out of all your muscles and glory. Come on, pick one."_

_ He reached the same level as her breasts, kissing up the right one, taking her rosy nipple in his mouth and giving it the softest of sucks before moving up her body even more and resting at her neck. Bethany wrapped her arms around his body, opening her legs so Steve could rest more comfortably. _

_ "Steve?" Bethany asked as he bit softly into her neck, not leaving any marks. "Are you going to pick or not?"_

_ "Right here," he said sucking on the sweet spot of her shoulder. "This is my favorite part of your body."_

_ "Really?" She asked, amused. "I have a 36-24-36 body ratio and my shoulder is your favorite thing?"_

_ "I like the reaction I get from you," Steve said, licking it carefully. _

_ Bethany playfully pushed him off of her. "I will not accept that as your answer."_

_ Lying beside her now, Steve placed a hand on her bare stomach. "Fine."_

_ "What's the one thing on my body that turns you on the most?" Bethany asked. "It's not a hard question Steve."_

_ He sighed, torn. "Your breasts."_

_ "There," she said, turning on her side. "That wasn't so difficult, was it?"_

_ "You have no idea," Steve mumbled as Bethany snuggled into his chest, pulling the blankets around them. _

_ "Good night Steve," Bethany said with an amused smile. _

* * *

><p> As the helicopter landed on the SHIELD hellicarrier, a group of heavily armed agents met them with orders to bring Loki to his holding cell. Director Fury had every intention of following and questioning the man, but as many of the group piled out of the helicopter, did Bethany wake up with a start.<p>

Her breathing was panicked, her eyes wide and body shaking. It caught everyone's attention, cautiously waiting to see what she would do. Who she was; friend or foe.

Steve however, didn't wait. He leaned down next to her, cupping her face. "Hey, you're okay," he assured her as her body continued to shake. "Doll, look at me. You're going to be okay."

Bethany swallowed hard, nodding slightly. "Where's Loki?" She asked, looking around.

"On his way to a holding cell," Fury told her, taking in her still shaken up appearance. "We have some questions for you Miss. Stark."

"She just woke up from the dead," Tony reminded him. "Give her some time to adjust."

The two men began to bicker, Bethany squeezing her eyes together tight. "Beth, you okay?"

A few stray coughs escaped her body. "Just trying to force him out," she said quietly to Steve. "My head is killing me."

"Blame your nephew for that," Steve told her, softly touching the still healing skin on the side of her face.

"How long was I out?" She asked, leaning into his touch.

"Enough for Thor to come, steal Loki, Thor and Tony get into a fight and then me breaking it up and rounding them all up."

Bethany winced. "Sounds like I missed all the fun."

Steve gave her a small smile, "There's the Bethany I know and love."

She gave him a weak smile, her head still pounding from the impact of Tony's Iron Man suit into her skull. "There's nothing I want more right now then to curl up with you and Molly and go to sleep."

"I want that too," Steve said, kissing her forehead. "But there's a lot of stuff we need to do. Need to… talk about."

Bethany sighed, the events of before her blackout swirling in her mind. "Yeah, I know."

"When we're alone," Steve told her. "Beautiful dress by the way."

Bethany looked down at the elegant design of the dress. It _was _beautiful, but all the memories surrounding it was now tainted. She loathed it almost as much as the man who gave it to her. First chance she had, she was ripping it off.

"Give her a break, she's a senior citizen!" Tony fought back to Fury.

"Can you two shut up?" Bethany asked. "I'll answer whatever he wants to know, but right now, I want to clean up and get out of this dress. And in looks, kid, you're old than me."

"You know, just 'cause you and Capsicle found the youth fountain doesn't make you any younger in age. Just appearance."

"'Capsicle'?" Bethany asked, raising an eyebrow. "Look, whatever. I'll meet you two later. Right now, I just want to change."

As she unbuckled herself from the seat and began to stand up, she was suddenly aware of how weak her legs were. It was an affect she had often when she suffered a massive blow to her head. Almost like all the nerve endings weren't completely healed by the time she woke up. Steve steadied her, placing a hand on her back. "You okay?"

She nodded, "I just need a few minutes. Can you help me to my room?"

"Okay, that's my cue to leave," Tony said, making a face. "I don't care if it's all innocent, I do not need to see or hear anything related to bedrooms and you two."

With that, the billionaire exited the helicopter. Bethany looked up at Fury, waiting for him to add his piece. He pulled out a blue bottle containing little pills that Steve recognized to be the medication to stabilize her moods due to her bipolar disorder followed by a little flat, square package.

"Under normal circumstances," Fury began as Bethany took both of them in her hands. "You'd be suspended."

"I know," Bethany answered. "But like you said; this isn't normal circumstances."

"After you clean up, everyone will be at the conference table on the main deck. See that you're there. When that's done, you'll be expected to see Dr. Torfstine."

"Understood," Bethany said before Fury turned and walked away. "They really know how to throw a welcome back party."

"They're grateful you're back," Steve assured, guiding her out the helicopter.

"Yeah, but they don't trust me." Bethany mumbled. "My room is just down this hall."

Steve sighed, his hand moving from the small of her back to her hip. "Give them time. Right here?"

"Yeah," Bethany said putting her hand on the scanner to unlock the door. "Welcome to my home away from home."

As they stepped in and the door closed behind them, Steve looked around the small room. "Cozy?"

"Help me out of this?" She asked, turning so Steve could see the zipper. He complied, slowly unzipping the tight fabric. After some struggle getting it off her hips, Bethany stepped out of the pool of material. "I've never hated something so beautiful before."

Steve watched as she sat down on the bed in just her bra and underwear. He mentally added those as the best improvements through the years. Her underwear was just a nude colour, but very small and barely covered her. Her bra was also nude, but instead of having a cone shape tips, they were curved. There were no straps, and light lace around the ban. Steve also noted that her breasts seemed to be pronounced, making one of his favorite assets undesirably beautiful.

Taking in a raged breath, Steve turned to the small bathroom and ran a cloth under the faucet, also filling the small cup that was there. Closing his eyes, he took in one more breath before surveying his body. If he didn't focus on her chest or hips, he'd be okay. _Just keeping your gaze on her eyes_, he told himself entering the room.

"Here," he said handing her the cup. Bethany took it with a small smile, swallowing two pills with it.

"What's that one?" Steve asked, pointing to the square packet where the little pink pill came from.

Bethany sighed, moving to pull her hair out of the tight bun. Steve's eyes trailed slowly to her chest before remembering where his eyes are supposed to stay. "Birth control pills."

"Oh," Steve said, looking where his hands were folded in his lap. "Is-is it… effective?"

As her hair fell around her shoulder, Bethany picked up the packet and looked at the label. "It won't be for a couple months. But this is some heavy duty stuff. Remind me to sweep the apartment from cameras and mics. I think he bugged the apartment."

Steve frowned, not completely understanding what she meant. Taking the damp cloth, he moved it up to her head where the blood was stained to her head. "No blood in your hair," he noted.

"Is now a good time to talk about what happened?" Bethany asked quietly.

"Did he hurt you?" Steve asked quietly.

Bethany shook her head. "No. To tell you the truth, I don't think he could if he wanted to. He wanted me to rule with him."

"You think he's in love with you?" He asked, giving her an apologetic smile when she winced as he scrubbed too hard.

"No," she told him. "More like infatuated. But I really didn't get too involved. He wanted me away from the Tesseract. Clint and Selvig both said that the Tesseract showed them knowledge, but I think Loki wanted me away from it so I wouldn't see the truth."

"But you're okay?" He asked again.

She nodded. "I've been through worse. But Loki wasn't what I wanted to talk about. I'm talking about what happened in Germany."

Steve's movements stopped for a millisecond before he continued. "We don't have to. It's fine."

"No, it's not." Bethany said, moving away from the cloth. "Steve, we need to talk about it."

"I know it wasn't you," Steve explained. "You were under Loki's influence. You didn't mean any of it. I know you didn't. Not after the last two weeks."

Bethany pushed his hand away when he tried to clean her cut again. "It might not have been me saying those things, but no matter how you paint it, the truth's the truth. I've killed people. I get an order, I follow through. For years, it was the only thing that made me feel… alive."

Steve watched her carefully, "Why are you telling me this? I've killed people too."

"Steve, this is different. You know that."

He sighed, reaching to take her hand. "I know. But I don't want it to get in the way of us. I understand that what you did was because you were sick. And because of that, I…I forgive you."

Bethany's eyes widened. "You-you forgive me?" She could feel tears prick her eyes, her nose pinch and her breath catching.

Steve gave her an adorable half smile, some of his hair falling from its coif. "Yeah. I do."

As one tear fell down her cheek, she moved in to hug him. "You shouldn't."

"But I do," Steve assured her, holding her close. "And I love you despite it all… which brings up a new conversation we need to talk about."

Bethany groaned, pulling away from his arms. "You had to ruin the moment, didn't you?"

Steve couldn't help but chuckle a little at her tone. "Relax, I'm not mad anymore."

"You're-you're not?" Bethany asked confused.

Steve shook his head. "I would rather you say it when you're ready, not because it's obligatory. It'll mean more then."

Bethany let out a heavy breath of air, running a hand through her hair. "Wow. Why are you-"

There was a knock at the door, followed by Natasha's voice. "Are you two coming or not?"

"Shit," Bethany whispered, getting up and going to her drawers to pull out a SHIELD jumpsuit. "Yeah, just another minute!" Bethany called back, kicking off the gold shoes she was wearing. "Can you get my boots out from under the bed?" She asked to Steve, who was staring at her behind.

"Huh?" Steve said, snapping up. Bethany gave him a pointed look. "Right, boots. Got it."

Bethany shook her head, pulling the dark navy jumpsuit on. Steve turned around just as she was pulling up the zipper, handing her the boots. She pulled them on, tittering twice, then looked in the mirror. "Facecloth?"

Steve did as she asked and she scrubbed off what was left of the blood, while Steve took her hair in his hands and began to braid it. When he tied it off with an elastic he found on her bedside table, he leaned down and kissed her neck. "All good?"

"Let's do this," she said with a heavy sigh. Steve nodded and went to the door, staring at the hand pad, trying to figure out how it worked. Bethany chuckled, moving over and snaking her arm up his neck. "Wait, I forgot something."

Steve frowned, but as she pulled down his head and their lips touching softly, he smiled. "You're amazing," she told him when they separated. "I'm going to spend the rest of my life trying to be half as amazing as you are."

"No need," Steve told her, one of his hands moving to cup her behind. "Although I'm not against you being with me for the rest of _my_ life."

Bethany gave him a bright smile, "When did we get so corny? Or cheesy? Or any other type of food that means lame."

Steve laughed, giving her one more kiss. "How do we get out of here?"

Bethany showed him how to open the door, and together, they walked to the main deck. "By the way," she said as they turned the corner. "Nice tights."

Steve shook his head, with a small smile. "It's a little tight."

"Not really subtle either," Bethany noted. "I like it though. It makes a statement."

"Your suit isn't too bad either," he noted, taking in the way it hugged her body.

"I like the burgundy one the best," Bethany shared. "Coulson got it custom made after they settled on my code name, The Phoenix. It's back at the apartment though, so I guess I stuck with standard issue."

"Well it looks amazing nonetheless," Steve told her, sending her a wink.

"So you met Tony," Bethany said with a smirk. "Thoughts?"

"He's a jerk," Steve summarized as they walked into the conference room on the main deck.

Bethany chuckled. "Why I wanted you to wait. Bruce, hey!"

The aging scientist moved over where Bethany pulled him into a hug. "Oh, well this is out of character."

"I'm in a good mood," Bethany explained, watching as Steve took a seat at the table.

"You two an item?" Bruce asked.

"I guess that's the appropriate word. How's life? I mean, long time no see."

"Under the circumstances," Bruce said, cleaning his glasses on his shirt. "I think that's a good thing."

Bethany nodded in agreement, a small smile on her face. "Excuse me, Lady Bethany?"

"Thor," Bethany said smiling. "I heard you solved the whole hammer issue."

Thor nodded, "I wanted to give my sincerest apologies about my brother's behaviour."

"Thanks," Bethany said before feeling someone nudge her hip. Turning she saw Natasha, standing there looking worried. "He's fine." Those two words was all Natasha needed to know before settling into a seat, waiting for Fury's questioning to begin.

* * *

><p>"He really grows on you, doesn't he?" Banner asked as the screens showing Loki faded out.<p>

Bethany scoffed. "Loki's gonna drag this out. So Thor," Steve began. "What's his play?"

The god was silent for a couple seconds before sharing his knowledge. "He has an army called the Chitauri. They're not of Asgard, nor any world known. He means to lead them against your people. They will win him the Earth, in return I suspect, for the Tesseract."

"An army," Steve asked clearly not believing. "From outer space."

"Yeah, this is pretty high on the weirdest things SHIELD has encountered," Bethany mumbled.

"So he's building another portal," Banner enlightened. "That's what he needs Erik Selvig for."

"Selvig?" Thor asked.

"He's an astrophysicist," Banner explained.

"He's a friend," Thor countered.

"He's under Loki's spell," Bethany told him.

"Now that we know it's reversible," Natasha started, "It leaves us with higher hopes in getting Selvig and one of our own back."

"You might not want to bang their heads too hard though," Bethany added.

"I want to know why Loki let us take him. He's not leading any armies from here," Steve said, reaching under the table to place a hand on Bethany's knee.

"I don't think we should be focusing on Loki," Banner insisted. "That guy's brain is a bag gull of cats. You could smell crazy on him."

"Have care how you speak!" Thor demanded. "Loki is beyond reason, but he is of Asgard. And he is my brother."

Natasha looked up from her seat. "He killed 80 people in two days."

A second passed before Thor said "He's adopted" in a tone that clearly was unsure of the excuse himself.

"Loki is just one part of the equation," Bethany interrupted. "It's his plan, but he can't do it alone. Hence taking Selvig."

"I think it's about the mechanics," Bruce agreed. "Iridium. What do they need the iridium for?"

"It's a stabilizing agent," Tony said before Bethany could. She watched as he and Coulson came into the room, quietly finishing off a previous conversation. "It means the portal won't collapse on itself like it did at SHIELD. No hard feelings Point Break," Tony said moving up to Thor and giving his arm a light hit. "You've got a mean swing."

Bethany worked through her knowledge on iridium. "The anti-protons in the iridium would open the portal as wide and however long Loki would need it."

"Exactly," Tony said moving to what was generally Fury's spot. "By the way, sorry about the whole 'senior citizen' thing."

"No you're not," Bethany replied bored, crossing her legs.

"No I'm not," Tony agreed. "Raise the mizzenmast. Jib the topsails." The entire room turned to face him, questioning looks on their faces. "That man is playing _Galaga!" _He declared. "Thought we wouldn't notice, but we did."

Bethany leaned her head back against the chair as Tony's antics continued. _Now I know how Colonel Phillips felt_, she thought. "The packet? Selvig's notes? The Extraction Theory papers? Am I the only one who did the reading?"

"Does Loki need any particular kind of power source?" Steve asked as Bethany brought herself back to the conversation.

"He would have to heat the cube to 120-million Kelvin just to break through the Coulomb barrier," Banner said.

Tony nodded. "Unless Selvig has figured out how to stabilize the quantum tunnelling effect."

"Well if he could do that, he could achieve heavy ion fusion at any reactor on the planet," Banner replied.

"Finally! Someone who speaks English," Tony said moving over to Banner.

"Is that what just happened?" Steve asked the other members in the room.

"It's good to meet you, Dr. Banner." Tony expressed. "Your work on antielectron collisions is unparalleled. And I'm a huge fan of the way you lose control and turn into an enormous green rage-monster."

"Tony!" Bethany reprimanded, but Tony didn't budge.

"Thanks," Banner answered unsure.

"Dr. Banner is only here to track the cube," Fury said walking in. "I was hoping you might join him. You too, Miss. Stark, after your evaluation."

"I would start with that stick of his," Steve suggested. "It may be magical, but it works an awful lot like a HYDRA weapon."

"I don't know about that," Fury answered. "But it is powered by the cube. And I would like to know how Loki used it to turn the sharpest people I know into his personal flying monkeys."

Bethany chuckled softly as Thor questioned his words.

"I do!" Steve declared proudly. "I understood that reference."

Bethany couldn't help but hide her smile behind her hand. "Miss. Stark?" Fury asked, reminding her of her appointment.

"Well," she said pushing out from her chair. "I'm off to see the Wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz."

* * *

><p><p>

"Look, I don't know what else you want me to say," Bethany said to Director Fury and Dr. Torfstine. They were in a secluded medical room, where they just did a quick scan of Bethany's brain. "He didn't tell me anything, and I didn't ask because I didn't need to know. I have _no_ idea what his next motive is."

"Your test came back good," Dr. Torfstine said showing her the results. "Once this ordeal is over though, I suggested a nice long vacation."

"I second that," Fury agreed. "You may not think there's any side effects now, but it could emerge in time."

Bethany sighed, agreeing. "I guess a vacation wouldn't be a bad thing."

"Are you sure there's nothing else you can tell us?" Fury pushed. "No location? No communication?"

"My answer isn't going to change," Bethany told them. "I don't know_ anything_. But if I do, you'll be the first to know."

"Why did he want you with him in Stuttgart?" Fury tried again.

Bethany fought back a roll of her eyes. "All I know is that he wanted me to dangle myself in front of Steve. He wanted to break him."

"That backfired," Fury spoke.

Bethany shrugged. "As much as I hate to say it, but we'll have to just let it play out."

"Until then, you need to keep the group in line," Fury told her as he stood up. "You're the only one with any influence on them. I've already heard from Agent Romanoff that Mr. Stark and Captain Rogers had some disagreements on the helicopter.

"Of course," Bethany mumbled getting up. "I'll talk to them."

Fury nodded. "See that you do. Also, Miss. Stark," he said as she went to leave. "I am not going to get in the way of your and Captain Rogers' relationship. Just see that your relationship doesn't get in the way of performing your duties."

Bethany gave a curt nod before leaving. It had been a two hour meeting and Bethany was exhausted. All she really wanted to do was curl up in bed and fall asleep. "Coffee," she told herself, knowing that she had her duties to fulfill before she could sleep.

After getting a strong cup of coffee, she made her way to the lab. Through the windows, she could see Banner and Tony inside scanning Loki's spectre. It made her shudder, but she pushed passed it and opened the door.

"Hey kid?" She asked sticking her head in. "Can I talk to you for a sec?"

He didn't look especially happy to be called away, but did it nonetheless. "What you come to drop another bomb on me? Do you have a secret husband too? Or is only the secret boyfriend?"  
>"What do you want me to say?" Bethany asked, crossing her arms.<p>

"Look, I just thought that after I found out about SHIELD and you being a super-secret agent, you'd tell me everything. Instead of lying to me all week and saying you were working, you could've told me you were playing house with gramps."

She groaned, crumpling up her empty coffee cup and throwing it into the garbage bin. "Let's sit, okay? I'll tell you everything. But only if you not joke about it. It's my life and it's not a laughing matter."

Tony took a second before nodding, gesturing to the small conference room next to them. As they took a seat on the couch, Bethany sighed. "Okay… from the beginning?"

"That would be nice, yeah," Tony agreed.

"In 1940, your dad and I were hand selected to be a part of Project Rebirth, also known as the Super Soldier Project. Dr. Abraham Erskine, who was developing the serum gave me the chance to not only to help become a real doctor, but expand my knowledge in science. I mean, it was 1940, so women weren't really given this opportunity."

"I basically know about all this," Tony said, scratching his beard.

"Yeah, well did you know the reason I heal is because I injected myself with one of the serum's uncompleted phases?"  
>Tony sighed, leaning back on the couch. "I assumed it had to do something with that."<p>

"Anyways, once the serum was perfected, the only thing left was to choose someone who would be comfortable with going through the procedure."

"I know all this, Bethany," Tony insisted. "SHIELD gave me the rundown."

"SHIELD doesn't know everything," Bethany countered.

"They know that you and Blondie had a relationship, and that you got knocked up."

Bethany crossed her legs. "They know that because your father knew that, and he felt that it was important to be recorded in SHIELD documents. But he respected my privacy enough to not record what happened."

"No," Tony agreed. "But you did dangle that in front of Spangles' face during your out of body experience. You terminated the pregnancy."

Bethany cringed at the use of the word. "I want to tell you _why_. Tony, I wasn't always this person I am now. There was a time when I was just like you. Stay out late, drinking the night away, hooking up with anyone and not really caring about the consequences. I was carefree and really happy. Yeah, there was a war going on, but the only family I had was your dad and he was with me the entire time."

"What changed?" Tony asked.

"A 5' foot, 90 pound, asthmatic punk who wanted to save the world," Bethany told him with a chuckle in her tone. "Even before he became the definition of human perfection, he had me hooked. I honestly didn't even see it coming until it was too late. Then I got pregnant and was suddenly aware that what was now expected of me wasn't what I wanted. I mean, at first, all I could think of was Steve with a little boy, teaching him how to tie his shoelaces."

"Obviously something changed," Tony concluded.

"Yeah, him being away on a raid and us temporarily losing communication with him and his team. That's when I realized that there was a very high chance that I would be doing this alone. He could die and I would have to give up my life. I could feel the control on my life slipping through my fingers. Looking back, I know this is where my bipolar disorder emerged in full force. My thoughts were blurred and I wasn't thinking about anyone but myself."

"I don't think Stars and Stripes would just agree to you getting an abortion."

Bethany shook her head. "He didn't even know I was pregnant until I wasn't. Our relationship, like my pregnancy, was over."

"How'd he find out?" Tony asked, being more somber than Bethany had ever seen him.

"I figured I would heal fast enough that no one would find out," Bethany explained. "But since I did it illegally, I got a serious infection that would've killed me if it wasn't for my rapid cellular regeneration."

"So when he went under…" Tony brought up.

"Things weren't good," Bethany finished. "I regret it now. I actually regretted it the day he went under. With a clear mind, I know what I did was wrong. He knows that I've seen my error. We're good now."

"Yeah I caught that when he was being all protective over you while you were unconscious," Tony mumbled.

"Listen kid, there was 70 years of me convincing myself that I was happy. Now, I _am_. I mean, the circumstance are weird but, but being with him makes me happy and hopeful."

"Yeah," Tony said, scratching his beard again. "You seem different."

"I hate that you had to find out the way you did," Bethany continued, putting a hand on his.

"Yeah, not the highlight of my week."  
>Bethany gave him a little smile, "So we good?"<br>Tony rolled his eyes but pulled his aunt in for a hug. "Yeah, we're good."

"And I know you and Steve are complete opposites, but for my sake, could you just try to get along?"

Tony thought about it, hand rubbing against his chin. "Nope," he declared getting up and going back to the lab.

"No, of course not," Bethany said rolling her eyes, but smiling a little.

* * *

><p><p>

Her list of things to do was almost as long as her arm; she had reports to file, a cube to find, a soldier to integrate to the 21st century, a plot to uncover, keep the peace in a group of very different individuals and most importantly, sleep.

But with all of this, all she wanted to do was go down to the detention level and talk with Loki. Ever since she woke up, she couldn't get him off her mind. His influence was gone, but she wanted to know why he picked her. And more importantly, why he let her and himself get captured.

She had to talk to Director Fury firstly to get permission. While she had top level clearance, Fury gave the guards direct orders to not let her through. After thirty minutes of insisting she only wanted to talk to him to find out more opposed to let him free, Fury finally agreed.

"Ah, there's my goddess," Loki said as she came in. "I was wondering when I would see you again."

"Cut the crap," Bethany demanded. "I'm here for a specific reasons, and I'm not going to let you distract me."

"Then by all means," Loki said spreading his arms and giving her a bright smile.

"Why me?" Bethany asked, crossing her arms.

Loki cocked his head slightly. "Why _not_ you? Beautiful, strong, intelligent-"

"Yeah but you didn't want my knowledge on the Tesseract," Bethany interrupted. "You wanted me as a Queen."

"Every King needs a Queen," Loki explained. "And I chose you."

"Yeah, and my question is why," Bethany pressed on. "You clearly don't love me, or else you wouldn't have wanted to control me."

"'Love'?" Loki asked, smiling. "You mean like the soldier loves you? You were right. I can see right through him. You're his weakness. No, I wouldn't subject myself to that. I chose you because I wouldn't settle for anyone less than perfect, and you my dear, are perfect. I wouldn't have to worry about your well being."

"Romantic," Bethany said plainly. "Why did you let them take us?"

"'Let'?" Loki asked, seemingly confused.

Bethany shook her head, a small headache emerging. "You're up to something."

Loki gave her an innocent smile, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Bethany?" Came a voice from her ear piece. "Captain Rogers is looking for you."

Bringing her hand up to her ear, she spoke back. "Tell Steve to meet me by my room, Coulson."

"Ah, so he forgives you?" Loki said amused. Bethany just turned to walk away.

"Yeah," Bethany said looking over her shoulder. "Because that's what real love is."

* * *

><p><p>

****A/N: Just some comments on the chapter:**

**1) ****My favorite thing about Chris Evan's (besides his face) really is his arms. I don't know why, but they are. His abs are a close second.**

**2) ****I'm extremely attracted to men with good hair. **

**3) ****Bethany's measurement aren't Panettiere's. **

**4) ****HAVE YOU GUYS SEEN THE FIRST 10 MINUTES OF TWS? Steve's sass level hits an all-time high. Therefore, I added some sass into this. 'Cause he's just the King of Sass. **

**Kadienewberg: Is Loki capable of loving anything more than himself? Now that's the real question. I don't see it as love, more like infatuation. He's drawn to her. **

**FeliciaFelicis: I understand the trouble that is red lipstick more than one in this generation should. There was the red lipstick that came with drama and dance classes/recitals/plays and now there's just the obsession of how amazing it looks. I just bought my ninth tube the other day. The struggle is worth it.**

**Here's how I see Steve forgiving Bethany for her words: he trusted Clint right after because Natasha told him too. He didn't ask questions, just rolled with it. He truly wants to see the good in people. Him forgiving Bethany isn't (in my opinion) far off from what Steve Rogers would actually do. **

**YES; the dress! Amazing. I wish I had it. **

**BellaDamonLover: I think I can guarantee that Bethany is done taunting him for the future. I don't enjoy writing it, to be frank, but always had it because I wanted to stay true to the story.**

**Kamijin: Binge reading I see? Haha, that's my favorite thing to do! I truly appreciate your comments regarding the abortion ordeal. I agree that a woman is entitled to do whatever she wants with her body, but… I mean… It's a baby. It's a neverending dilemma that I will never be able to pick one side or another. All I know is that I wouldn't be able to do it, but if I knew someone who did, I wouldn't treat them any differently. One of the worst decisions in my life is looking up different abortion procedures. A horrible idea that I DO NOT recommend. (Of course, it was all in the name of research, but still).**

**So _Winter Soldier _is out soon. And the tickets here are still not on sale. I've been checking my movie theatre every single day for two months. Yes, two months. My dad (who is an avid supporter of my fangirling; seriously he just bought me a Cap cap to wear when we go see it even though he's already bought me a sweater and a t-shirt to add to my already impressive Marvel collection) has promised to take me to the advanced screening, so fingers crossed.**

**Also, just to put this out there: I won't be starting _The Winter Soldier_** **plot line for a while. I want to have a couple chapters of what's happened in between the two years, so don't worry about me spoiling the movie for you. Although, I have introduced a character from the movie in the story already. It was subtle, but there. **


	19. Chapter 19

****A/N: And I was officially the first person in my town to get _Winter Soldier_ tickets. Woot woot! Also officially; this is the longest Captain America story now. It's been a good week. **

Chapter 19

As Bethany rounded the corner, she saw Steve's silhouette leaning up against her door. She raked her eyes up and down his body, resting on the firm curve of his ass. She smiled, tip toeing over and giving it a tight squeeze. Steve jumped slightly, startled by her movements. He turned around, looking relieved. "Oh, it's you."

"Who else would grab your ass?" Bethany asked with a smirk, opening the door. "You wanted to see me?"

Steve stepped in, the door closing behind them. "I just hadn't seen you in almost three hours," he told her, pulling her flush against him. "I just wanted to check up on you."

She smiled, moving her hands up his body, resting on his pecs. "That's sweet."

"How's the head?" Steve asked, surveying where her head was once indented.

"I have a headache," she admitted. "But I think that's more from lack of sleep than anything else. Although talking to Loki definitely didn't help my situation."

He frowned, "Why were you talking to Loki?"

"I wanted answers," Bethany told him, sighing. "I didn't get much out of him, however. I don't have the patience to deal with him."

"And you're sure your okay?" Steve asked again. "You were brainwashed."

Bethany leaned her forehead up against his body. "I'm pushing past it. I can't dwell on it now. It won't get me anywhere."

"But it had to affected you," Steve encouraged. "You know you can tell me anything."

"I know," Bethany said looking up at him. "The thing with being brain washed is that you're still in there. You know what you're doing, what you're saying and there's a small part of you that is _aware_ that you're under someone's control, but you're convincing yourself that it's okay. I mean, it's wrong not being able to exercise your own freedom, but it was… nice not having to think about my decisions."

"What did Director Fury say?" He asked, taking her braid in one of his hands.

Bethany shrugged. "Nothing really. I didn't really have much to tell him anyways. But after this is all done, I'm supposed to go on a vacation. I was thinking small, secluded village in Ireland? And I was thinking you could… I don't know… join me?"

"Oh, that's what you were thinking?" Steve asked, smirking.

Bethany gave him a big smile, biting her lip seductively. "I was also thinking no technology. Just you and me."  
>Steve's eyes darkened. "Some pleasing thoughts are coming to mind, but can I just remind you of one thing?"<p>

She cocked her head, twisting her body slightly like she used to when teasingly flirting with him. "And what's that?"  
>Steve reached over to the bedside table and picked up the square birth control packet. "You said these wouldn't work for a couple months."<p>

Bethany's face turned sour, "Right. Well, I mean there's other _things_ we could do."

Steve's face pinked a little, making Bethany laugh. "And what exactly do those _things _entail?"  
>Bethany shrugged, "Oh, a little of this, a little of that. And a lot of nakedness."<p>

"I like the sound of that," Steve admitted, leaning down to kiss her.

His lips were light on hers, nipping softly, his tongue barely touching hers. It was tentative, almost like it was their first and exploring what the other liked. Bethany moved her hands down his body, pulling at the utility belt bringing him closer as his hands trailed up and down her arms.

"Happy?" Steve asked lightly.

"Very," she told him against his lips. "I know I shouldn't with the world falling to shit, but mine's just stitching itself back together."

She tugged on his bottom lip as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Happy to help," he joked against her lips.

"Let me know when we need to stop," she told him, pulling him down to the bed. He hovered over her, brushing some stray hairs out of her face.

"Until then," Steve told her cupping her cheek. "I'm gonna keep kissing you."

Their lips met again, a little more possessive than the first time. Steve ran his hands down the side of her body, relishing on how the material of the jumpsuit acted like a second skin. He kept his hips off her body, knowing that the belt would be uncomfortable against her.

Steve pulled down the zipper of her suit, moving it so the sweet spot on her shoulder was bare. Bethany's eyes fluttered closed in anticipation, her hips moving upward as soon as he made contact. A low whimper escaped her lips, her breathing increasing.

"If you keep making those sounds," Steve murmured against her skin. "This'll be over soon."

"I can't help it," she admitted quietly. "You're the only one to ever find that spot. You're the only one to ever spend the tim-" she let out a low moan as his tongue moved over the spot.

Steve took in a deep breath, rolling off of Bethany and lying next to her. "I told you not to make those sounds."

He wasn't mad or annoyed, a smile clear through his words. "Opps," Bethany said with a smirk.

"Should we be hiding out in here when everyone else is out trying to save the world?" Steve asked, intertwining his gloved hands with her bare ones.

"Probably not," Bethany admitted. "Ten minutes and then we'll go back. Let's just lose ourselves before we need to focus again. Just… just like old times."

"Okay," Steve said, moving her hand to his lips and kissing it softly. "I was thinking about something earlier. Instead of looking for an apartment for me, I was thinking I could take permanent residence at your place. Since cohabitation is done with such ease now a days."

Bethany turned her body to face his. "That's not a bad idea actually."

"One of my best?" Steve teased.

"Eh, it makes the top ten," she winked, laying a hand on top of the star of his suit. "By the way, I talked to Tony. He knows… well, basically everything."

Steve nodded, staring at the ceiling. "And?"  
>"He was respectful, if that's what you're getting at."<p>

He turned to her, letting out a deep breath of air. "Yeah, that's exactly what I was getting at. He doesn't seem like someone to take anything seriously."

"I know he comes off that way, but Tony and I have always had a special connection. He respects me. I also asked him to try and get along with you. No luck there, but at least he knows how I feel about you. It's just his character, don't take it personally."

"He called you a senior citizen," Steve reminded.

"Honestly, I'm more offended of him calling you 'Capsicle', 'Stars and Stripes', 'Spangles' and what else… oh yeah, 'gramps'."

"And he's like this with everyone?" Steve wondered.

Bethany frowned. "No, actually. I mean, he usually jokes around, but doesn't usually harass someone this much."

"What did I do?" Steve asked, frowning.

Bethany sighed, moving to rest her head on his shoulder, him wrapping his arm around her body. "I think it has to do with the fact that Howard spent the majority of Tony's life looking for you. Now you come back, and I spend all my time dotting on you? He called me like twenty times the last two weeks."

"I didn't ask you two to do that."

"I know," Bethany assured. "And he knows that. But he's… jealous? Howard spent so much time talking about you, saying how amazing you were, he never really paid attention to the poor ten year old boy who built a robot. Just ignore him and give it time."

Steve sighed, kissing the top of her head, "Time is something I'm afraid of losing again."

"It's all going to work out," Bethany told him. "Like you said, we're being given a second chance. I don't think the universe would take that away from us."

Steve pulled the elastic out of her hair, letting the braid undo itself. "That's a good way to look at it. Assuming this is done by next week, how about we go out for dinner next Friday?"

"Like a date?" Bethany asked, propping her body on his.

"Like a date," Steve confirmed with a smile, pulling her head down and kissing her with a stronger passion than before. Bethany moaned, caught off guard before pulling away. "What?"

"Your belt," she explained, moving off of him.

Steve chuckled as the comm in the room went off. _"Agent Stark, report to the main deck."_

Bethany groaned, letting out a deep sigh. "Duty awaits, Spangles," she said with a smirk. Steve responded by hitting her behind as she got off the bed and zipped up her suit again.

* * *

><p>Tony was walking on thin ice in Steve's opinion. His laissez-faire lifestyle didn't belong in an operation like this where structure and order was key. More importantly, where jokes and word plays were not welcomed.<p>

"Why did Fury call us in? Why now? Why not before?" Tony asked, opening up a bag of blueberries. "I can't do the equation unless I have all the variables."

"You think Fury's hiding something?" Steve responded, not far away from his own thoughts about the one-eyed man, yet was ultimately won over when Bethany seemed to do as he asked with no second thoughts. "Bethany trusts him."

"Bethany has had one too many hits on the head over the years," Tony fought back, popping in a blueberry. "She's not exactly the best person to convince me of Fury's trustworthiness."

"Are you saying you don't trust _her_?"

"She lies like a rug," Tony reminded. "She's lied to all of us, and in ways that have _changed_ our lives. I respect her, but I don't trust her. Not with something like this. You can't honestly say you trust her."

"She's proven herself," Steve explained.

"Cap, she _lied_ to you about being pregnant-"

"That was 70 years ago," Steve reminded him.

Tony popped another blueberry in his mouth. "To her, yeah. Not to you. And hey, maybe she's changed since then. But she _just_ lied to me, so sorry if I don't see it your way."

"She regrets what she did."

"Yeah, yeah," Tony said waving his hand. "She's so innocent, so sweet, so perfect."

"I'm not saying that," Steve insisted.

Tony sighed, "She wants you to think this way. She says she wants to change, and hey, maybe she does. But I don't think she'll be able to do it as quickly as you want. She's just programmed to make you think that she'll change since you are her sorry ever after. '74, '75. Or I guess '44, '45."

Steve frowned, "What?"  
>"It's a song, Steve," Bruce enlightened.<p>

"The point is, they're spies, Captain," Tony continued. "They're _the _spies. Their secrets have secrets. It's bugging him too, isn't it?"

Steve looked at Bruce, who looked startled to be brought into the conversation. "Uhh… I just want to finish my work here, and…"

"Doctor?" Steve asked, curious towards his opinion. Truthfully, anyone's opinion that wasn't tainted by SHIELD and someone with the last name Stark.

"'A warm light for all mankind'," Bruce said taking off his glasses. "Loki's jab at Fury about the cube."

"I heard it," Steve confirmed.

"Well, I think it was meant for you," Bruce said looking to Tony, who then offered him a blueberry in reward. Bruce accepted as he continued. "Even if Barton or Bethany didn't tell Loki about the tower, it was still all over the news."

"The Stark Tower?" Steve asked, thinking back to all his walks by the big, showy building. All the times he would make a face and Bethany would only hit him and say he was jealous. But he wasn't. In fact, he rather despised the thing. "That big, ugly…" As Tony gave him a look, he toned down his attitude a little. "…Building in New York?"

"It's powered by an arc reactor," Bruce explained. "A self-sustaining energy source. That building will run itself for, what, a year?"

"It's just the prototype," Tony said, a blueberry in his mouth. Steve remembered Bethany trying to explain that to him, but it just went over his head. She got into equations and science and it was too much to take it, but he sat there and listened as she went on, like he always did. "I'm kinda the only name in clean energy right now. That's what he's getting at."

"So why didn't SHIELD bring him in on the Tesseract project?" Bruce resumed. "I mean, what are they doing in the energy business in the first place? More importantly, why wouldn't Bethany just create her own arc-reactor to harness energy? She knows how to make one, doesn't she?"

Tony nodded, taking a small device out of his pocket. "The first version that my dad made, Bethany helped. Bethany would be able to recreate it with little trouble. I should probably look into all of this once my decryption program finishes breaking into all of SHIELD'S secure files."

"I'm sorry," Steve said alarmed. "Did you say-"

"JARVIS has been running it since I hit the bridge. In a few hours, I'll know every dirty secret SHIELD has ever tried to hide. Blueberry?"

Steve pushed away his desire to know who JARVIS was and asked the more important question. "Yet, you're confused about why they didn't want you around."

"An intelligence organization that _fears_ intelligence? Historically, not awesome."

"I think Loki's trying to wind us up," Steve shared. "This is a man who means to start a war and if we don't stay focus, he'll succeed."

Tony chuckled, "Oh yeah, like you've been focused making puppy eyes at my aunt."

"We have orders," Steve continued, trying to ignore his words like Bethany suggested. "We should follow them."

"Followings not really my style," Tony said lazily while eating some more blueberries.

"And you're all about style, aren't you?" Steve asked, smirking.

Tony raised his eyebrows, accepting the challenge. "Of the people in this room, which is A, wearing a spangly outfit and B, not of use?"

Steve's jaw clenched, unable to deal with his brash comments anymore. "Just find the cube," he said strongly before leaving.

He had every intention on finding Bethany, just her presence alone would help in calming him down, but Tony's words made _sense_. The puzzle pieces he was provided with didn't fit together at all, almost all the answers being obligatory ones. There was definitely something to uncover.

Stopping in his place, he glanced down the opposite hall, knowing he had earlier seen some restricted area doors. Thinking about it for a second, his jaw tightened as thoughts of more lies and deception overwhelmed him.

* * *

><p>"Where have you been?" Fury demanded as Bethany's presence became known on the deck.<p>

"Oh, you know," Bethany said shrugging her shoulders. "Killing time between my sins."

"Did Loki tell you anything?"

"I got a headache and a call before I could dig any further," Bethany revealed. "All I know is why he wanted me to rule with him, which honestly doesn't help us much."

"Think he'll reveal anything?"

Bethany sighed, "He's smart, but he likes to talk. If you get him to say enough, he'll probably reveal something. I'd suggest letting Natasha go."

"Agent Romanoff?" Fury questioned.

"I've seen her interrogate. She's good," Bethany defended. "Plus she has a connection in the form of Agent Barton. Loki will probably try to use that against her. But we both know Natasha. She'll use it to her advantage. I'm done using my feminine wiles. I should be a raisin in a retirement home, not batting my eyes for information."

Fury nodded before telling Natasha over the comm. Bethany looked around, noticing Thor and Coulson down by one of the computers. Swinging her body over the railing, she landed next to the pair. "So, anyone want to tell me why Loki wants to conquer the Earth? I mean, no one just wakes up one morning and decides that the first thing on their to-do list is controlling human beings."

"Loki's… misunderstood," Thor tried.

"'Misunderstood'," Bethany repeated slowly, nodding. "So am I, but you don't see me condemning people to slavery."

"Loki didn't take the news of his adoption well," Thor tried to elaborate. "In Asgard, we tell stories about his people, stories that aren't friendly."

"Like the boogeyman and the Loch Ness monster?" Bethany asked. Thor's response was a frown, to which Bethany smiled. _Him and Steve should have a heart to heart. And maybe a sit-com… _"Nevermind."

"Any progress on the cube?" Coulson asked, crossing his arms.

"Not that I'm aware of," Bethany answered. "I talked to Loki too, and just as empty handed. You're not… worried, are you Phil?"

He shrugged. "This is the first time SHIELD has scrambled like this. Having to call up back up of a new proportion. Are you _not _worried?"

"I have faith," Bethany explained, feeling Fury hovering over her. "Excuse me." Pulling herself under the rails and back up to the next level, she crossed her arms.

"Romanoff is on her way," he told her with a nod.

"Good," Bethany said, moving to a computer and looking over some simple diagnostics. "The sooner we get this over, the sooner I go on vacation."

"Any plans?" He asked, following her, and resuming his place in what would be an intimidating hover if it was anyone else.

"Ireland," Bethany said. "Somewhere remote where I can actually _get_ a vacation and some relaxation."

"Going alone?" Fury asked, already knowing the answer.

"No," Bethany responded, turning to face him. "Steve's coming with me."

"You'll be on vacation," Fury reminded. "All your assignments would be covered by someone else. Including integrating Captain Rogers to our time."

"That's not necessary," she assured. "Plus I taught him how to use the internet. He's golden."

"I have to ask," Fury said, putting his hands on his hips. "What's the status on you and Rogers?"  
>"'Status'?" Bethany scoffed. "Why?"<p>

"Loki wanted to expose Captain Rogers' weakness through you," Fury continued. "I want to know if I'll be losing by best agent any time soon."

"Those two things aren't related," Bethany said, crossing her arms.

"They are," Fury countered. "If you're his weakness, is he your weakness? Will you compromise yourself just to save his life? Will you decide you don't want to work for SHIELD anymore?"

"I don't really know," Bethany told him quietly. "But I have been thinking about where I go from here. I'm not saying Steve and I are going to live happily ever after, but if I get that chance again, I won't pass it up. Not again."

"Enlighten to me how you'll explain to your children why you aren't aging," Fury pressed on.

Bethany gave a dry smirk, "Thanks for pouring sugar on that wound."

"All I'm saying, Agent Stark, is that you need to think realistically about this. About this all. More than that, they won't have a normal life; not with their father being Captain America."

Bethany tried not to let that faze her, but she knew it was clear on her face that her future seemed bleak. She knew that Director Fury was just laying it down how it was. Bethany wasn't planning her life with Steve, just taking things as they came, but realized that if she wanted to make it work, she would have to give up a lot, and learn a new lifestyle.

"This life was once fulfilling," Bethany decided on. "It gave me purpose. But now… now I'm not seeing it that way. I'm not saying I'm done with SHIELD. But I don't want to do this anymore. Stuck in neutral, never going forward. And as for not aging, maybe it's time I start looking into reversing the serum in my blood. It may prove futile and dangerous, but what's the point if I'm just going to be living like this for the rest of my life?"

"Director," came Hill's voice as the computers started to panic. Bethany frowned, taking a closer look to one of them, reading that there was a virus in the system. _Tony_… she thought with a sigh.

Fury tossed her an accusatory look as if it was solely her fault before turning on his heel towards the lab. Bethany followed, hot on his trail. Why she assumed Tony would just follow orders was beyond her, but she had known about his desire to break into SHIELD's mainframe for months. His efforts were always ineffective because he wasn't on their server. But being in the helicarrier now, with access to a million computers, it would be almost as easy as pie.

When the door to the lab slid open, Bethany crossed her arms. "You can't just listen, can you?"

"What are you doing, Mr. Stark?" Fury asked with a calmer take.

"Uh, kind of been wondering the same thing about you," Tony revealed.

"You're supposed to be locating the Tesseract," Fury tried again, his patience still evident.

"We are," Banner defended. "The models locked and we're sweeping for the signature now. When we get the hit, we'll have a signature within half a mile."

"Yeah, you'll get your cube back, no muss, no fuss," He stopped as the screen in front of him lit up. "What is Phase Two?"

A clank of metal on metal caught everyone's attention. "Phase Two is SHIELD uses the cube to make weapons." Steve enlightened, Bethany's attention on the old HYDRA weapons from the 40's. "Sorry, the computer was moving a little slow for me. Did you know about this, Beth?" He asked, no sympathy in his voice.

"Rogers," Fury spoke up before Bethany had the chance, "We gathered everything related to the Tesseract, this does not mean that we-"

"I'm sorry Nick, what were you lying?" Tony asked turning the monitor around to show the schematics of the weapons SHIELD was developing.

"I was wrong, Director," Steve said, hands resting on his utility belt. "The world hasn't changed a bit. And clearly," he said towards Bethany, "Neither have you."

"Don't even think about accusing me for something when you don't even have a clue about it," Bethany said, standing her ground. "You don't even know half the story!"

The door hissed as Natasha and Thor came in, Banner instantly jumping on Natasha's back. "Did you know about this?" he demanded.

"You want to think about removing yourself from this environment, Doctor?" Natasha asked, moving to him slowly.

"I was in Calcutta. I was pretty well removed." Banner pointed out.

"Loki is manipulating you."

Banner scoffed. "And you've been doing what exactly?"

"You didn't come here because I bat my eyelashes at you," she reminded.

"Yes, and I'm not leaving because suddenly you get a little twitchy." Banner moved over to the monitor pointing at it as he spoke. "I want to know why SHIELD is using the Tesseract to build weapons of mass destruction. "

Fury waited half a beat before pointing at Thor. "Because of him."

Thor, who had his arms crossed, frowned. "Me?"

"SHIELD was created to deal with the issues that no one else is equipped to deal with," Bethany explained. "We seemed to be doing fine with that, up until last year when we had an extra-terrestrial visitor who decided to take his anger out on a small town."

Fury nodded, his presence taking over. "We learned that not only are we not alone, but we are hopelessly, hilariously, outgunned."

"My people want nothing but peace with your planet," Thor explained.

Bethany scoffed, "Your brother doesn't count?"

"You're not the only threat," Fury spoke. "The world is filling up with people who can't be matched, that can't be controlled."

"Like you controlled the cube?" Steve asked.

"Your work with the Tesseract is what drew Loki to it, and his allies," Thor exclaimed. "It is a signal to all the realms that the Earth is ready for a higher form of war."

"'A higher form'?" Steve questioned, his inner soldier emerging full force.

"You forced out hand," Fury explained. "We had to come up with something-"

"A nuclear deterrent," Tony interrupted. "Because that always calms everything right down."

"Look whose speaking," Bethany said with a scoff at the same time Fury said "Remind me again how you made your fortune, Stark."

Steve took half a step forward, standing next to Bethany. "I'm sure if he still made weapons, Stark would be neck-deep-"

"Wait, wait. Hold on," Tony interjected. "How is this now about me?"

"I'm sorry, isn't everything?" Steve asked with as much sass as the man could muster, which was a lot.

"I thought humans were more evolved than this," Thor opinionated.

"Excuse me!" Fury said, turning to the demi-god. "Did we come to your planet and blow stuff up?"

"You treat your champions with such mistrust," Thor defended.

"Champions?" Bethany said, scrunching her nose. "More like misfits."

"Are you boys really that naive?" Natasha joined. "SHIELD monitors potential threats."

"Captain America is on the threat watch?" Banner asked disbelieving, arms crossed.

"We all are," Natasha informed.

"Wait, you're on that list?" Tony asked, pointing a finger to Steve as the room broke out into argument. Bethany felt overwhelmed suddenly, her headache pushing forward in full force. Taking in a deep breath, she put a hand over her mouth.

"Are you above or below angry bees?" Tony pushed.

"Stark, so help me God, if you make one more wisecrack-"Steve began, finally cracking.

"Treat!" Tony yelled. "Verbal threat! I feel threatened!"

Bethany frowned, getting a severe sense of déjà vu. "Show some respect," Steve demanded.

"Respect what?" Tony asked, face showing that he was complete oblivious.

"You two are really not helping the situation," Bethany said, dropping her hand from her mouth.

"And what did you expect us to do, Bethany?" Tony asked, facing her. "Clasp hands and sing songs around the fire?"

"Do you ever stop?" Steve spoke up, brow furrowed.

"Nope!" The billionaire declared.

Bethany could feel chaos taking over, wrapping itself around her body and refusing to unwind. She could feel the beginnings of an anxiety attack, something she had gone years without. "I can't handle this," she told them, turning to leave.

"Hey, where are you going?" Steve asked, pulling her back by her arm. "We're not done yet."

"Oh no? What now Steve?" Bethany questioned, trying to hold herself strong, but feeling her jaw quiver a little. "Are you going to yell at me some more? Yes, I didn't tell you about why we had the Tesseract, but that doesn't constitute as lying."

"Is that how you justified not telling me you were pregnant?" Steve asked, letting go of her wrist as she gave it a hard tug. "It's not lying if you don't bring it up?"

"You're going pretty low here Steve. You sure you want to continue to speak?"

Steve's eyes were dark, his military instincts taking over. "All I want to know is whose side are you really on?"

"Yeah, that's actually a good question," Tony agreed, crossing his arms. "'Cause the way I see it, you can't take everyone's side no matter how much you want to."

Bethany's jaw dropped, "You're not seriously asking me to pick-"

"Yeah, actually. We are." Steve interrupted. "It's not that hard. Either you want to create mass destruction, or you want peace."

She shook her head, hands pushing on her temples. "Why don't you two understand? You've both been on the warfront. You both know the difference between a good weapon and a bad one."

"Until it gets in the wrong hands, Bethany," Tony reminded her, his own experiences creeping up. "And who's to say they have the right hands?"

"You haven't seen the things I have over the years," she defended. "Trust me when I say that SHIELD is the right hands."

"Just pick a side!" Tony spat, face turning a little red.

"It's not that simple! It's a game where either team I lose," Bethany explained, her voice breaking only once.

"Which side is more worth losing for?" Steve asked, softening his tone slightly.

She took a deep breath in, fighting back the emotional breakdown. Whether it was the circumstances, or the two days off her medication, Bethany knew she was in danger of losing herself altogether. In front of her right now was the two most important people in her life. Without them, she knew she'd spend the rest of her life following orders, taking assassin jobs and not knowing the difference between a fulfilling life and a disappointing one.

"It's not worth losing either of you," she confessed. "But I have more than just your safety to worry about. There's innocent people, children! I won't allow myself to be selfish anymore."

"So when it comes to the battlefield," Steve asked, clearly disappointed. "You'll be on the other side."

"Who said anything about a battlefield?" Bethany questioned. "I really thought you'd understand. Not liking bullies? Do you remember that? Because I do."

"You speak of control, yet you court chaos!" Thor spoke loudly, drawing attention to solely him.

"That's his M.O, isn't it?" Banner added. "I mean, what are we, a team? No, no, no. We're a chemical mixture that makes chaos. We're ... we're a time bomb."

Fury stepped forward. "You. Need to step away."

"Why shouldn't the guy let off a little steam?" Tony asked, putting a hand on Steve's shoulder.

"You know damn well why!" Steve said, slapping his arm away, it narrowly missing Bethany's face. "Back off!"

"Oh, I'm starting to want you to make me," Tony expressed.

"Yeah?" Steve asked with a hint of a smile, taking on the challenge. "Big man in a suit of armour. Take that off, what are you?"

Tony took his stance, "Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist."

"I know guys with none of that worth ten of you," Steve said, using his height as advantage. Bethany's heart clenched, knowing that they were more alike than anyone would ever know. "I've seen the footage. The only thing you really fight for is yourself. You're not the guy to make the sacrifice play, to lay down on a wire and let the other guy crawl over you."

"I think I would just cut the wire," Tony answered simply.

Steve smirked, turning to the rest of the room for a moment. "Always a way out... You know, you may not be a threat, but you better stop pretending to be a hero."

"A hero? Like you? You're a laboratory experiment, Rogers. Everything special about you came out of a bottle!"

"Watch it Tony," Bethany warned, trying to separate the two with her arms.

"Oh, so _now_ you're taking sides," Tony summarized. "I see how it is."

"I'm not taking sides," Bethany tried. "But you're stepping over the line."

"So it's okay when your boy toy steps over it, but not with me?"

"You need to watch what you say," Steve advised.

Tony chuckled, "Or what? You'll sock me on the jaw?"

"Put on the suit. Let's go a few rounds." Steve said, not budging as Bethany tried to push him away from her nephew.

Thor's deep laughter erupted. "You people are so petty. And tiny."

"Yeah, this is a team," Banner muttered.

"Agent Romanoff," Fury distracted. "Would you escort Dr. Banner back to his-"

"Where?" Banner demanded. "You rented my room."

"The cell was built-"

"In case you needed to kill me, but you can't! I know! I tried!" The room got really quiet, everyone's attention solely on him. Bethany's hand on Tony's shoulder dropped, but she kept the other one on Steve's. Bruce's confession was striking hard in her. She could feel Steve gravitating closer to her, his thoughts clearly going to the same idea. They were both going back to the day in the gym where she broke down. The already emotional day was turning into a hell hole of feelings, and Bethany knew she wasn't going to last the week without expressing her emotions in one way or another.

"I got low," Bruce continued. "I didn't see an end, so I put a bullet in my mouth and the other guy spit it out! So I moved on. I focused on helping other people. I was good, until you dragged me back," he ranted, slowly moving backwards to Loki's spear, his hand wrapping around the handle. "into this freak show and put everyone here at risk!"

Steve's arm rested on Bethany's shoulder, his protective instinct over her, no matter what, overtaking him. Bethany, however, placed her hand on her gun. Banner faced Natasha, who clearly looked uneasy. "You wanna know my secret, Agent Romanoff? You wanna know how I stay calm?"

"Doctor Banner," Steve said with authority. "Put down the sceptre."

Banner looked down, shocked to see that he was, in fact, holding the sceptre. There was a brief moment of silence before the computer let out a beep, drawing everyone's attention.

"Got it," Tony announced.

Bethany exhaled air she wasn't aware she was holding leaning into Steve a little. His grip tightened even as Banner put down the sceptre and made his way to the source of the beep. "Sorry, kids. You don't get to see my little party trick after all."

"You located the Tesseract?" Thor said with great interest.

"We need to take a minute to breath before we move," Bethany said. "We're too disorganized."

"I could get there fastest," Tony said, ignoring Bethany's suggestion all together.

"The Tesseract belongs on Asgard," Thor countered. "No human is a match for it."

Steve unwrapped his arm from Bethany's shoulder, grabbing Tony's arm to stop him, only to have it pushed away. Bethany quickly took a step away. "You're not going alone!" Steve insisted.

"You're gonna stop me?" Tony questioned.

"Put on the suit, let's find out."

Bethany groaned, feeling like she was surrounded by children. It was killing her that they were fighting, but their personalities clashed too much to expect anything less. Steve led a very structured life while Tony just flowed.

"I'm not afraid to hit an old man," Tony declared strongly, knowing this would be the breaking straw.

"Put on the suit," Steve spat, jaw clenched tightly.

"What are you, five?" Bethany asked, pushing her body in between them just before a loud explosion rocked the helicarrier. Their bodies went flying into the wall, Steve landing on top of Bethany.

She hissed, feeling more than one part of her body broken and bruised. "What the hell?!"

* * *

><p><strong> **AN: Whew, okay so I have some ideas of where Bethany should go, but not really settled on any as of now. Suggestions would be great!**

**BellaDamonLover: Haha, I guess that means I've done good?**

**Kadienewberg: I have my own plans for Bethany where she won't really be involved with future Avengers stuff, but you'll have to wait and see what that stuff is. She WILL be helping with the battle of New York, but will remain anonymous. Whereas people knew that Captain America, Hulk, Thor and Iron Man were the heroes, Bethany is a spy and craves her privacy. You'll see ;)**

**FeliciaFelicis: Me writing Tony cracked you up? Oh good, then I'm not failing miserably. **

**talie coyne: Who knew such a gentleman could be so sassy? But it's one of the things that just makes him more adorable, in my opinion. **


	20. Chapter 20

****A/N: So I've made a deal with myself to write at least 1,000 words a day. This'll mean getting a new chapter around every 4-5 days. I love getting these out fast so I don't lose interest cause I want this story to show their life together. And I mean everything. **

**This one's a little short, but there really wasn't a good place to add extra dialogue or fluff. I tried, but you know… **

Chapter 20

Panic arose instantly, Steve and Tony making eye contact. "Put on the suit."

"Yeah," Tony agreed, as they all got up. Bethany limped, popping her shoulder back into place as they started running through the halls.

"Hill," Bethany said over the comm. "What's going on?"

_"Engine three is down!"_

"Engine three. We're on it," Bethany said.

Tony nodded, "I'll meet you there."

Steve and Bethany started running down the halls, chaos flooding everywhere. "I'm sorry for what I said," Steve spoke as they rounded a corner.

"Heat of the moment," Bethany responded, moving her hand to a scanner to open a door. "We're all so stupid, we played right into his hand." She stopped, looking back down the hall they were just in.

"What's wrong?" Steve asked, stopping beside her.

"You go ahead," Bethany told him, taking her earpiece out and handing it to Steve. "You'll need that to talk to Tony. Engine three. Help in whatever way you can."

"Wait! Beth!" Steve called as she ran back down the hall.

Climbing the stairs, pushing around people, she made her way to the detention hall. It was on the other side of the ship, but if Loki was causing all this chaos, it was in no doubt just to get him out. They couldn't lose him. Not now.

She watched as an unfamiliar SHIELD agent rounded the bend, and using her instincts, she caught his arm. The man instantly moved to attack her, Bethany bringing her knee to his stomach, then proceeding in flipping him over. "Shitttt…." She muttered, realizing that the hostiles were in SHIELD uniforms. She moved her hand up to her ear to make communications with the rest of the team, before realizing she gave hers to Steve.

"Fan-flipping-tastic," she moaned. The man on the floor moved to knock her down, but Bethany reacted quicker, giving him a hard kick, pulling up his arms and letting his head hit the floor, rendering him unconscious.

She stood there for a second, contemplating her next move. She was still close to Steve. She could run back to him and get him to tell everyone through the earpiece. But there was still the fact that Loki was more than likely about to escape, and that took precedence.

"I'm getting too old for this," Bethany decided as she took the latter approach. On her way up to the detention level, she encountered more than one hostile slowing her down. Still, with ease, she was able to punch, kick, flip and throw them over rails, clearing the path.

Bethany could faintly hear alarms ringing loudly, feel the ship jostle and rumble, but she didn't question much. Her one goal was to get to Loki. Okay, so maybe she knew that the Hulk had emerged. And yeah, she figured the systems were being shut down and they were losing altitude. But there were hundreds of agents on board. Surely one of them could handle it, couldn't they? She didn't have to hold their hand and walk them through it, did she?

When she finally stumbled into the detention level, exhausted from her small battles and bleeding in a couple places, she frowned as she noticed that glass cell that previously held Loki in was gone. The cage was designed so that if the prisoner tried to escape, it would plummet to the ground. Bethany always thought it was a stupid design, considering they would just lose the prisoner again. It was basically setting them free, if they survived the drop.

Putting her hands on her hips, she looked around the room before letting her jaw drop. She could barely feel her legs, but she pushed forward and quickly moved up to a half unconscious Coulson, blood pouring from his shirt.

Surveying his body, she knew her efforts to stop the bleeding would be futile, a hole directly through his chest. "Hey, Phil," she said, taking his head in her hands. "Look at me."

His gaze was unfocused, but he gave her a tired smile. "Hey Phoenix."

"Don't call me that," she responded, taking his earpiece out of his ear. "I need medical in the detention hall, _now!"_

"Bethany," Coulson chocked softly.

"You'll be fine," Bethany tried, not believing it herself, but not ready to let him go. "I'm done with losing people I care about. You're… you're like my brother," she realized, holding back a sob.

"Then listen to me," Coulson continued, gasping. Bethany nodded, concern written all over her face. "He loves you, and you love him. Don't make it more complicated than that."

"How do you know that I lo…" she trailed off, letting a breath of air escape. She couldn't say it. Not even now. "How do you know that I feel that way about him?"

"When you talked about him," Coulson shared, body shaking slightly. "It's clear. It's always been clear to me."

Bethany sniffled, watching as his eyes began to glaze over slightly. Coulson was the one person through the years who never hesitated to ask questions about Steve, as if he felt it was his right to know.

_ "Check mate," Coulson said as he put down his cards. They had just finished an assignment, to which Coulson learned just how skilled of a fighter his S.O. was. He barely had to do anything, which was a slight comfort considering it was one of his first missions and they had no back up. The only reason they _got_ an extraction team was because Bethany had another personal assignment when they got back to headquarters. _

_ "We're playing poker," Bethany reminded, showing her own cards, which beat his out._

_ He leaned back and crossed his arms. "How is it you always win?"_

_ "When you're stuck on an army base with a bunch of men, you pick up a thing or two," Bethany admitted, collecting the cards. "So you on for another round?"_

_ "Actually," he said, sitting up straight. "I was hoping you'd tell me more about Captain Rogers."_

_Bethany put the cards down, folding her hands together. "What about Steve?"_

_ "It's just… ever since I can remember, I've admired him. My grandma even knitted me a Captain America doll when I was younger. He's my hero."_

_ Bethany nodded, sighing a little. "He's mine too, Phil."_

_ "So you understand me wanting to know more," Coulson pushed. _

_ "Besides a lot of my stories being classified, the ones that aren't are personal."_

_ "I just want to know what he was like," Phil said with a small smile. "Is he really just as amazing as they say?"_

_ Taking in a deep breath, she nodded. "Even more so. He didn't have a selfish bone in his body. The mere thought of bleeding on anyone was inconceivable to him, which is why Dr. Erskine picked him in the first place. He was good just for the sake of being good."_

_Coulson's eyes seemed to tinkle. "I hope you don't mind me saying that the reason I asked for you to be my supervising officer was because of him."_

_ "I figured," Bethany said with a smirk. "People don't usually talk to me about him, so I guess… I guess it was startling when you first brought him up, but nice."_

_ "Do you still have hope he's out there?" _

_ Bethany looked at the poker chips stacked in the middle and picked one up, studying it. "I don't know. I do know that I should just accept it and call off the search, but I feel like the second we do that, we'd be so close to finding him. I know the World Council is already done with it. They've been trying to get me to give up all hope for years. They think it's impossible. But it's Steve, so I can't really say."_

_ "I watched some old Captain America reels," Coulson said after taking a sip of his water. "Have you seen any?"_

_ "No," Bethany admitted. "I feel like if I dwell on the past, I'll never be able to refocus. It took a while after he disappeared to get me on my A-game."_

_ "You may want to consider it," Coulson explained. "You're in some of them. Usually in the background. I mean, I didn't notice you at first, but a close up of Captain Rogers' compass showed that it was really you. Blond hair and a giant smile."_

_ "You should come by my apartment sometime," Bethany revealed. "There's lots of that there. A naive smile, or maybe it was flirtatious, I don't really know. But there I am with blond curly hair, full makeup and a perfect smile. It doesn't even seem like me sometimes."_

_ "Were you two a couple?" Coulson pushed again._

_ "I guess that's the correct term," Bethany sighed. _

_ "I didn't know that," Coulson continued. "I just knew you knew him, and that you were a part of the Project Rebirth team."_

_ "SHIELD has done everything in their power to keep the fact that Bethany Stark and Steve Rogers were a couple out of the light," Bethany explained. "I don't know if that was Howard's doing, so what, but somewhere along the way, I realized that every time something about us would casually make it's way into the world, SHIELD was there to confiscate it. __Those old reels though… a couple of SHIELD's directors have offered to destroy them, but I just couldn't bring myself to accept it." She studied his face, before frowning. "Okay, what? What's with the face?"_

_ "I've never seen you like this," Coulson admitted. "You have real emotion in your voice."_

_ "The topic of Steve is an emotional one for me," Bethany said with another heavy sigh. "That's why I don't talk about him."_

_ "But do you think about him?"_

_ Bethany bit the side of her lip, considering her answer. It was at that moment that she realized she did. It had become second nature, everytime she saw an American flag or ate fondue, both of which were often. More times than not she would wake up, trying not to panic, to cry because of a dream where he had guest starred. Some of them were nice, days out having a picnic or cooped up in the lab. Some of them were dirty, reliving his lips on hers, the feel of his muscles and the soft cry he would let out as he reached the highest point of pleasure known to man. But the majority of them were angry filled, aggressive Steves, a Steve that had never existed anywhere but her nightmares._

_ It was then that she also realized she only had photos of him in her room. They weren't in the living room like her other photos, memories she was glad to share. No, the few photos she had of Steve were by her bedside table, her dresser and even on her bedroom walls. She had never even realized she did that until then, and that she had been doing that for years. It could mainly be attributed to the fact that Peggy had put a framed photo of a skinny Steve on her bedside table one night after crying herself to sleep, and through the years, pictures of him and her would just appear throughout her room. _

_ "Yeah," she finally told him. "He had a huge impact on my life. Someone like that doesn't just disappear from your thoughts. Good people just don't disappear from your life."_

* * *

><p><p>

Steve unzipped the top of his uniform and took off his gloves, tossing them in Bethany's room before making his way to one of the conference rooms. The tension on the helicarrier earlier was a buzz, everyone worried, but hopeful to fix the situation. Now, it was just plain grim. Everyone was mourning, but wasn't being given the time to do so. They all had things to do, to repair, and they weren't be given the opportunity to just take a moment and reflect on the last few days. Arriving in the room, a suit-less Tony stood in the middle of the room, his arms wrapped around a sombre Bethany.

Steve noticed that she wasn't crying, but the look on her face was confusing. There was clear pain, but there was also anger. Clear guilt and grief and overall hatred. He could only imagine that he had a similar look after Bucky had died. Tony whispered something into her ear before she looked up at Steve.

He gave her an apologetic smile, walking forward. Bethany slipped out of Tony's arms and into Steve's. "I'm sorry," he told her, kissing the top of her head.

"What's the good of having regenerative blood if you can't use it on other people?" She said, her voice breaking. "I want Loki dead."

"I understand," Steve said, remembering telling Peggy that he wanted all of HYDRA either dead or captured after Bucky's fall. "I do, but we can't let it get in the way."  
>"I'm gonna go see what's holding up Fury," Tony said, leaving the room and giving them some privacy.<p>

"Is it just me, or did he grow up in the past hour?" Steve asked, leading Bethany to a chair.

She sat, running through her loose hair. "He understands the seriousness of it now. Oh, Phil…"

He watched as some tears began to well up in her eyes. He pulled out the chair beside her, moving it closer to her. "We'll get Loki back. We'll get the Tesseract. Everything will be fine."

"You say that like you know for sure," Bethany sniffled. "And maybe three hours ago I would agree, but I don't know now. We've lost more than we've gained."

"What have we gained?" Steve asked, frowning.

"Besides perspective, Clint. Natasha was able to knock him out. He's recovering now," Bethany said softly, blinking. Steve watched as a couple tears fell down her cheek.

"Beth," he said, moving in to kiss the side of her head. "Talk to me."

"Things were just easier when I didn't let people come in. When I didn't let my emotions control me. God! I'm so done with this! With feeling helpless and out of control! I'm done losing people I care about," Bethany cried, wiping a tear off her face.

"At one point or another, everyone dies," Steve tried to console, a hand rubbing circles on her back.

"Yeah, people die. It's the natural order of things. But murder? I just- I can't watch another person in my life get murdered, and not being able to do anything about it."

Steve frowned, tilting her head. "Who else was murdered?"  
>Bethany's jaw quivered, the lines on her forehead deepening. "Howard," she let out. "They said it was just a car accident, but I'm not so sure."<p>

"What has SHIELD said about that?" He asked, pulling her in for a hug, shocked by her revelation.

"They think it's just grief, but I know they're hiding something from me. What's worse is when I met Tony at the hospital, an old Director of SHIELD- a guy I _really_ hate, showed up to 'offer SHIELD's sympathies', but it felt like more than that. Almost like a warning," She shook her head, trying to get the memory out of her head. "Look, whatever you do, don't tell Tony. It'll just be something else he can hold against me, and I'm not even sure it's true."

"But you really believe it wasn't an accident," Steve pressed on.

"Nothing is an accident. Everything happens for a reason," Bethany said, swallowing the last of her pain. "Always a result of someone's bad judgement."

"I won't say anything," Steve promised. "But you can't keep secrets from him, Beth. They get out, and they hurt people."

"I see it as protecting him," Bethany explained. "Look, every secret I've kept hasn't been with the distinct purpose of hurting someone. It's been about keeping them away from the pain. Not every secret I've kept has been leaked."

A pregnant pause passed before Steve whispered, "Are you still hiding things from me?"

Turning her head, her expression screamed 'yes'. "A lot of it is confidential. The Tesseract was confidential. I don't like keeping things from you, but I'm an agent of SHIELD. It's what we do. It comes with the package."

Steve sighed, leaning back in his chair. "I don't like it, but I guess I'll have to get used to it."

"I've already decided not to keep personal secrets from you anymore," she revealed, placing a hand on his knee. "I know that we need not to only trust in each other, but trust us as a whole. It's something I'm going to work on. But I've been living in secrets for years. It may take a little time."

Steve caressed his thumb over the top of her hand. "That's all I'm asking. It's not going to be easy," he began, his blues eyes shining bright. "But that's okay. If it's not hard, it's not worth fighting for. And it _is_ worth fighting for. Because that's what I want. You. And me. Every day, forever."

"Forever is a _long_ time," she informed him, her expression becoming a little brighter.

"Like I said," he told her, bringing her hand to his lips and kissing it. "It's worth it."

"If you're about done," Fury said walking in, Steve quickly dropping Bethany's hand. Bethany rolled her eyes, watching as Tony strolled in behind her and sitting beside her.

"I tried-"

"Don't worry about it kid," She told him. "Thanks, though."

"Yeah, well I figured you'd need some comfort, and we both know there's no comforting gene in the Stark DNA," he said, with a small shrug.

"You okay?" She whispered, as Maria Hill situated herself beside Fury.

Tony nodded solemnly. "I will be. We will be."

"Damn straight," she said before looking towards Fury.

"So," Fury said, crossing his arms. "Clearly we have some… issues to work out. Firstly, where were you Agent Stark?"

"I was trying to get to Loki," she explained. "It was a distraction, and we didn't see that. Chaos broke, advantages were took. But I… I didn't get there in time. I had to fight off too many of them. Some back-up would've been nice."

"Everyone else was either too busy fighting the Hulk or repairing the ship," Fury said. "We couldn't spare anyone."

"I'm just stating a point," Bethany said with a sigh. "I know things were… hectic." She scoffed at her own words. "70 years at SHIELD and never have we ever been so unprepared to deal with a crisis."

It was quiet for a couple seconds before Fury held up cards Bethany instantly recognized as Coulson's Captain America trading cards. "These were in Phil Coulson's jacket. I guess he never did get you to sign them."

The bloodstained cards were thrown across the table, Steve picking one of them up and staring at it closely. "We're dead in the air up here," Fury continued. "Our communications, the location of the cube. Banner, Thor… I got nothing for you. I lost my one good eye. Maybe I had that coming."

Bethany crossed her arms, feeling a chill reach her bones as Fury walked closer. "Yes, we were going to build an arsenal with the Tesseract. I never put all my chips on that number though, because I was playing something even risker."

There was a brief pause, Bethany giving him a quick nod in approval. "There was an idea-Stark knows this-called the Avengers Initiative. The idea was to bring together a group of remarkable people to see if they could become something more. To see if they could work together when we needed them too, to fight the battles that we never could. Phil Coulson died still believing in that idea. In heroes."

Tony quickly stood up and left the bridge. Bethany's eyes followed him, but knew he needed two seconds to cool down, much like she always needed. "Well," Fury broke the silence. "It's a good old-fashioned notion."

"What now?" Bethany asked. "We can't just sit back and do nothing, can we?"

"We have nothing else we _can_ do," Fury explained. "Not until we get a lead. We're back at the beginning."

"How's the lab?" Bethany asked, sighing.

"Pretty rough shape," Fury answered.

Bethany nodded. "Once Tony cools down, I'll get him back in the lab and the two of us will try to track the cube again. It may be futile, but we can't just sit back and let this happen."

Fury nodded before he and Hill left the room. "What do you think?" Steve asked suddenly, eyes still on the trading card.

"About?" Bethany asked, placing a hand on his hand holding the card in an indication that he needed to stop.

"The Avengers Initiative," Steve said, looking at her. "Was this something you supported?"

"It never got off the ground," Bethany explained. "It sounded like a great idea in theory. In a way, Fury wanted to create an army of heroes he could control. But everyone on his list had flaws. It was shut down."

"But now? I mean, that's why he wanted us here, right?"

Bethany nodded. "After we found you, Fury told me he wanted to try and get the initiative back on board. It had been a year since we found out about Thor, and he made the list with only the drawback of us not knowing how to contact him. For Banner, if he could control the Hulk, he'd be the perfect ally. Iron Man has always been approved, it's Tony they were worried about considering he's not a team player. We've had all the pieces, they've just never fit together."

Steve looked back to the trading cards. "I didn't know him too well, but he seemed like a really good man."

"He was," Bethany said, taking in a sharp breath. "In a way, he was the heart of SHIELD. It's going to be so weird now without him."

"Was he married?" Steve asked, forehead wrinkled with concern.

"Honestly, up until this week I didn't even know SHIELD agents _could_ get married," Bethany said with a small laugh. "There was a cellist though. He… he was crazy over her. Oh god, I hate Loki. With a passion. Brainwashing me is one thing, but murdering Coulson?"

She closed her eyes tight, wishing away the tears before standing up. "Where are you going?" Steve asked.

"To get Tony," she said strongly. "I'm tracking down that son of a bitch if it's the last thing I do."

* * *

><p><p>

Tony didn't brood often. In fact, he tried not to show his true feelings. It was something he was sure all the Starks did, it was just coded in their DNA. But some things were just too important to brush off their shoulders.

The last couple of days was a whirlwind, even for him. He realized that his only family member kept a life of secrets from him, that monsters and magic existed and that he had invested too much of himself in SHIELD.

He really didn't want to. Even after he found out that Bethany was a SHIELD agent _after _he told the world he was Iron Man, he didn't want to have an organization watching his every move.

_"It's nothing new," Bethany told him. "SHIELD has eyes almost everywhere. Although, I have pulled some strings over the years so you're life hasn't been on full watch. Just the things that matter."_

_"Okay, and remind me again why you didn't tell me?" _

_"Because I'm a spy," Bethany sighed. "That would basically go against my job description."_

_"So no one knew? Even dad?" Tony said, not believing her._

_She rolled her eyes, "No, your dad knew. But up until 1959, your dad and I couldn't be separated."_

_"This is just so typical," Tony exclaimed. "And everything makes sense. Going away months at a time. I mean, my mom always told me you were in international business."_

_"In a way, I guess I kinda am," Bethany said, thinking about it. _

_"Seriously, my childhood makes so much sense," Tony continued, throwing his arms in the air. "I mean, you not aging. Of course you go around kicking ass!"_

_"Sometimes quite literally," Bethany confirmed. "Look it's no big deal. And I get it, you don't want to do what SHIELD tells you to do. I can't judge you, or say any different. It's up to you, which is why I never got you involved in the first place. But you just made the decision to become the world's new hero, and I don't think you're responsible enough for that. SHIELD _is_ just trying to help."_

"Hey kid?" He heard. He hadn't realized he was aggressively staring at the blood stain wall until her voice caught his attention. "You okay?"

"Me? I'm fine."

"Clearly that's not true," Bethany said, taking a couple steps into the detention area, Steve leaning against the railing, his arms crossed. "I get it. Coulson… he just… gets to you. Good people tend to do that."

"He was an idiot," Tony declared.

"Why?" Steve asked. "For believing?"

"For taking on Loki alone," Tony explained, walking towards the newest members of the room.

"He was doing his job," Steve told him.

Tony scoffed. "He was out of his league. He should have waited. He should have-"

"Sometimes there isn't a way out, Tony," Steve said closing the gap between them, while Bethany stayed a good foot behind him, looking at the big empty space where the cage had once been.

"Right! How did that work for him?" Tony said walking past him, really thinking _how did that work for you?_

"Is this the first time you've lost a soldier?" Steve asked, turning as Tony's back was to him.

Tony quickly turned to face him. "We are _not_ soldiers," he expressed, not yelling but enough for Bethany's attention to turn to him. "I'm not marching to Fury's fife."

"Neither am I," Steve assured. "He's got the same blood on his hands that Loki does, but right now we gotta put that behind us and get this done."

"Fury said the lab is in shambles," Bethany spoke up. "And we'd be starting from scratch, but if we could track the Tesseract before then-"

"He made it personal," Tony suddenly declared.

"That's not the point," Steve said.

"That is the point. That's Loki's point," Tony explained. "He hit us all right where we live. Why?"

"To tear us apart," Steve answered as Bethany walked up to them, leaning against the wall curious as to where this was going.

"Yeah, divide and conquer us, but he know he has to take us out to win, right?"

Bethany scoffed, "Why didn't he just take us out now, though? Wouldn't it save him time in the long run?"

"He wants to beat us," Tony continued. "He wants to be seen doing it. He wants an audience."

With that he walked past Steve again, up the stairs to gain the height. "Right," Steve agreed. "I caught his act in Stuttgart."

Bethany let out a small shiver, "Don't remind me."

"That's just the previews," Tony explained, everything formulating in his head. "This is… this is opening night. And Loki, he's a full-tilt diva. He wants flowers, he wants parades, he wants a monument built to the sky with his name plastered-"

He trailed off, and Bethany couldn't help but shake her head and smile as everything fit together. _A warm light for all mankind_.

"Son of a bitch," Tony let out, moving to leave the detention level.

"You know," Bethany said as Steve and her followed him. "If Loki wasn't clearly the bad guy, I'd suggest SHIELD hire him as a consultant. He's a genius. He's had this planned out all along."

"Which makes sense why he let us take him," Steve agreed.

"And why he seemed happy to be here," Bethany said letting out a groan. "Remind me next time this happens to make a string map with events to put together. I'm sure we could've figured this out sooner…"

Her pace picked up as she made her way down the hall, leaving Steve staring at her with wide eyes. "Next time?"

* * *

><p><strong>**AN: Nearing the end of _Avengers_ plot, and so soon too! They'll probably be one, maybe two more chapters and then I'm just floating free from there. I want to show more of their relationship developing, Steve getting into SHIELD, them working together etc. I want to stay true to the real MCU as possible, so of course when the time comes, I'll be mentioning the events of IM3, _Agents of SHIELD _and _Thor: The Dark World._ **

**Huge thank you to all of you! And hey listen, I'm still open to any suggestions, plot bunnies or fluff you want. Like anything. There's no promise I'll do them, but more often than not, I will. I've got a couple dozen steamy scenes that I've already written, so there's that to look forward to. But also if you want something simple like, I don't know, going to the beach, or baking cookies, let me know!**

**xox**


	21. Chapter 21

****A/N: So when I wrote the skeleton outline for this chapter, I assumed it would just reach 4000 words. So I added more scenes after the Shawarma scene (which I actually wrote first…). As I started filling the rest of the chapter in, I realized "huh… this is almost 8,000 words… Ooops?"**

**I finish school on Monday, and then have a couple weeks of exams, but I'll also have a lot more time to write. So you'll have to be patient for the remainder of April and almost all of May (I'll be on vacation), where the updates _will_ happen, just maybe once every one and a half weeks. With baseball season in full swing, that's 3 hours a night where I don't do anything but sit down, watch the game and write. The sound of the ball hitting the bat is strangely soothing for me, and helps the creative juices flow. Don't be surprised if I throw more baseball into here. It's a guarantee.**

Chapter 21

After stopping by in Bethany's room to get the top part of his suit, Steve followed her to gather Natasha, and hopefully Clint. As Bethany opened the door, she walked in as though she owned the place. "He okay?"

"'He' is fine," Clint said exiting the bathroom. Bethany gave him a small smile, moving over to hug him. "The question is, are you okay?"

"You know me," Was her only answer.

"Does anyone know how to fly one of those ships?" Steve asked, taking a step into the room.

"I do," Clint said as Bethany let go of him.

"Met us in the hanger," Bethany said turning to Natasha. "We know where the cube is, and while we need to move fast, we also need to have a plan."

Natasha nodded, not asking any questions. Bethany looked back at Clint, "I'm happy we're on the same side again."

Clint nodded, "We're gonna be in therapy for years, aren't we?"  
>"Maybe you," Bethany said with a joking tone. "But I'm getting therapy in the form of a boyfriend."<p>

"Right," Clint said, looking over to Steve. "Nice to meet you by the way."

"You have a suit?" Clint nodded. "Then suit up. Beth," he pressed.

"Go ahead, I'll be there in a minute," she said before he left.

"So," Clint said, his old tone back in his voice. "Are regular sized condoms good, or should I send the large sized ones?"

Bethany hit his arm, rolling her eyes. "I'd be angrier, but this just shows you're back to normal."

Leaving the room, she ran to catch up to Steve, "I'm handing you the reins," she told him. "When we gather, you set the plan into motion."

"I just want to make sure," Steve said as they entered the hanger, moving to where Tony was fixing his Iron Man helmet. "You trust him?"  
>"With my life," Bethany confirmed. "He made a condom joke, trust me, he's back to normal."<p>

Steve frowned, but didn't let it phase him. "Tony, since you have the suit and it's your tower, you head there as soon as you can and try to stop him. We'll follow you, but the best bet at turning off the power source is through you."

"Call J," Bethany suggested. "The sooner you get him to turn off the power source, the better. Like you said, the cube only needs a kick start."

"I'll get on it," Tony said, finishing with the helmet. "But there's only so much JARVIS can do."

"As long in the long run we stop Rock of Ages, I don't care."

Tony smirked, "I already called him that. You lose, I win."

"What about us?" Natasha said walking up behind them as Bethany pouted slightly.

"The four of us will follow behind," Steve said, authority leaking through his pores. Bethany held back a small shiver at how turned on she was. She barely ever saw him give orders, but this was not the time to drag him to the storage room and have her way with him against the wall. "Until we get there, there's nothing we can do. Assuming Stark can turn off the power source before the cube kick starts, we capture Loki and take him into custody."

"And plan B?" Tony asked, putting his helmet under his arm.

"We fight aliens," Steve said simply. "We cross that bridge when we get to it."

Tony nodded, turning to leave. "Hopefully Thor comes back," Bethany said as she began to rummage through a bin that was stocked there, which she knew held small weapon prototypes. "We could use the extra muscle, not to mention the lightning."

She began to pull out her favorite things, some small Tasers, some knifes, and two guns with a bunch of extra bullets. "What's that?" Steve asked, pointing to the small blue device in her hand.

Bethany picked it up and held it to one of the agents in the hanger, clicking the button quickly. The man passed out in seconds, Bethany shrugging. "Who knows if it'll work on aliens, but it works well on humans. Oh relax," she said looking at Steve's face. "He'll be okay in 10-20 hours."

"I know," Clint said suddenly. "She's scary sometimes. You get used to it, and then you start to like it."

"Clint," Bethany said, finishing off stuffing her belt. "Stop it, or else that'll be you on the ground."

"Ready?" Steve asked.

"Let's go," Bethany agreed, as Steve pulled the mask of his suit on. "Ah, there's that beautiful piece of vibranium," Bethany said as he picked up his shield. "I forgot just how magnificent it was."

"The fact that you're attracted to the shield," Clint began before shutting up at Bethany's warning face.

"I thought I'd never see it again," Bethany explained. "There are very few inventions slash creations of mine that I feel protective over and that shield is one of them. I mean, it's the reason why the company's initials are SHIELD."

"I… I just noticed that," Clint said, putting it all together.

"You two ready?" Natasha asked, securing her widow's bite wristlets.

"Let's go avenge shit," Bethany announced, sticking her earpiece in her ear.

Steve led them to the quinjet, only stopping as one SHIELD agent stopped them and said they weren't allowed to be there.

"Son, just don't," Steve told him, making Bethany shiver slightly again. As Clint and Natasha took the seats, Bethany pulled Steve by the wrist into the most secluded area they could get on the quinjet. "What's wrong?"

"A lot of things," Bethany said quietly. "The fact that every single person I care about, and I do mean every. Single. Person. Is about to fight a demi-god and his army of aliens. Then there's the fact that I'm terrified of what'll happen if we don't succeed. And I can't forget that I am extremely attracted to you when you give orders, and if we get through this, you _will_ be exercising that in the bedroom."

The cut outs of his mask allowed Bethany to see the slight rose tint take over, but if she wasn't expecting it, she wouldn't have seen it at all. "As much as I would _love_ to talk about that," Steve said, putting his hand on her shoulder. "Now isn't the time for bedroom eyes."

"I know," Bethany agreed. "I just needed to say it. But there's one more thing."

"Okay," Steve said, waiting patiently as the quinjet took off.

"When we're out there," Bethany began, putting a hand on his chest. "You need to focus on the overall objective. If something happens to Natasha or Clint, to Tony or me, you keep doing what you're doing. Especially me," she stressed. "It doesn't matter how beat up and exhausted I look. Unless I ask for help, you let it play out. You understand Rogers?"  
>"Yes ma'am," he said seriously before giving her a small smile. "Thanks for the reminder. Sometimes I forget that you're not a fragile as you seem."<p>

"I'm fragile," Bethany disagreed. "No one bruises and bleeds as easy as me. But I bounce back quick, and you'll do well to remember that. Unless it's a fatal wound to the head, I usually heal instantly. It's like learning how to ride a bike. At first it took my body a while when getting shot, but now it's seconds."

He shook his head slowly, face solemn. "You shouldn't have to know that at all."

"I'm a spy," Bethany reminded him. "And I could avoid getting shot so much, but there's so much fun in watching the guy freak out when the bullet pops out."

"You never cease to amaze me," he told her, leaning down for a quick kiss.

"Good," Bethany said with a smirk. "If I got boring, our relationship would be over pretty quickly."

"You two about done?" Natasha called.

"Not that we're interrupting or anything," Clint assured. "She doesn't understand the whole 'confess your feelings of love and gratitude _before_ entering a war zone'. She's Russian, she doesn't know any different."

Natasha just ignored him as the city came into view. "Stark, we're on your three, heading northeast."

"_What? Did you stop for drive thru?" _He demanded to know. "_Swing up Park. I'm gonna lay 'em out for you."_

"Hold on," Bethany instructed to Steve as the quinjet began to shake as shots were flown around it.

"Nat?" Clint said as Loki's green and gold clad body came into view.

"I see him," She confirmed, taking her shots. They all missed Loki, and didn't make a dent in the bubble protecting the Tesseract. Instead, with one shot, Loki hit the wing of the quinjet, sending it spiralling down. Bethany and Steve held onto the rails, their legs flying about as the aircraft rocked.

When the jet hit the ground, Bethany let go instantly, falling on her feet, ready for action. Her and Steve exited the jet, Clint and Natasha hot on their trails to see the scene. Everywhere there was chaos. Broken buildings, cracked roads, battered cars. Civilians were running every which way, trying to find the perfect place to hide while the Chitauri's blue rays soared throughout the air.

"You see something new every day," Bethany muttered, looking up at the portal.

"We've gotta get back up there," Steve instructed, all eyes on the portal. Bethany's drifted down to Stark Tower, which was really only 'Sta' Tower now.

"Plan B it is," Bethany confirmed, taking out one of her guns and loading it.

A giant slug like creature emerged from the portal, moving with increased speed past them, on its way to destruction. Some of the aliens jumped out from the transport and onto the buildings, outnumbering them ten times over. "Stark, are you seeing this?" Steve asked to Tony.

"_Seeing. Still working on believing. Where's Banner?"_ Tony responded as Bethany took her first shot. "_Has he shown up yet?"  
><em>"Banner?" Steve asked confused, throwing his shield to hit two of the Chitauri before it came back to him like a boomerang.

"_Just keep me posted," _Tony commanded.

Bethany ducked as one of the blue rays came firing past her head. "My advice? We need something to hide behind."

Steve nodded in agreement, the group running to an area of deserted taxis, looking over the bridge. "We've got civilians still trapped up here," Clint noticed, looking at one of the buses filled with passengers.

"Loki," Steve said, watching as some Chitauri flew past on hovercrafts.

There was no time to react and explosions came left and right. "They're fish in a barrel down there," Steve noticed, his attention on the bridge and people running wild. Natasha stood up and began to shoot as Bethany picked up a spear of some type that was left behind.

"You need to get them off the streets," Bethany explained, touching the tip of the spear and feeling a shock travel through her body. "They won't listen to us, so it's up to you."

Clint moved his positions, getting a better angle as the Chitauri moved all around them.

"We got this," Natasha confirmed. "It's good. Go."

Steve looked at Bethany once, then over to Clint. "Do you think you can hold them off?"

"Captain," Clint responded, getting his arrows ready. "It would be my genuine pleasure."

"This isn't our first rodeo," Bethany reminded him, pointing the spear in a direction, a blue ray emerging from the tip. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Steve jump onto the bridge, but directed all her attention to the problem at home.

_Back to work_, she thought, throwing the spear and hitting one straight in the chest before pulling out a gun and shooting. "Clint, get those people out!" Bethany yelled, gasping slightly as on Chitauri soldier grabbed her arm. She quickly elbowed it, tilting the gun under it's chin and shooting.

"Just like Budapest all over again!" Natasha said to Clint when all the civilians were clear of the area.

"You and I remember Budapest very differently," Clint added.

Bethany scoffed, letting a blue ray hit her arm, tearing her suit. "I don't think this compares to any mission any of us have ever done."

"Duck," Clint directed to Bethany, who followed orders. Clint shot two arrows at the same time, hitting two more Chitauri soldiers. The fighting continued, Bethany using her best asset, healing, to her advantage. She was able to get closer to the alien warriors than any of the others. Unclipping a small electric impulse grenade from her belt, she threw it at a group of the Chitauri, watching them shakes as the electric spark pulsed through them, falling down.

A shield blocked her view momentarily as Steve protected her as a rock was thrown near her. "Just in time," Steve muttered, throwing the shield to knock the guy out.

"How's it down there?"  
>"Better than up here," he responded, hitting three warriors in one swing. Then all of the soldiers were hit with electricity, falling to the ground as Thor landed near them. "What's the story upstairs?"<p>

"The power surrounding the cube is impenetrable," Thor enlightened.

_"Thor's right,"_ Tony announced. _"We got to deal with these guys."_

"How do we do this?" Natasha asked.

"As a team," Steve instructed with authority.

"I have unfinished business with Loki," Thor declared.

"Yeah?" Clint asked, collecting his arrows. "Well, get in line."

"I don't care what you do with him," Bethany added. "As long as I get to kick the shit out of him."

"Save it," Steve said walking forward, the group following him without a second thought. "Loki's going to keep this fight focused on us and that's what we need. Without him, these things could run wild."

"We need to be prepared for them turning on Loki too," Bethany added, personal experience speaking for itself.

"We got Stark up top," Steve listed. "He's going to need us to-"

A sputtering of a motorcycle drew everyone's attention to Bruce riding through the debris. The group started walking over to him as he got off the motorcycle. "So, this all seems horrible."

"I've seen worse," Natasha told him.

"Sorry," Bruce apologized, looking truthfully guilty.

"No," Natasha disagreed. "We could use a little worse."

"Stark," Steve spoke over the earpiece. "We got him."

_"Banner?" _Tony asked.

"Just like you said," Steve clarified.

"_Then tell him to suit up,"_ Tony directed. "_I'm bringing the party to you."_

As Tony's Iron Man suit rounded the corner, the giant slug like transport followed him. "Fun," Bethany mumbled, loading her gun.

"I don't see how that's a party," Natasha responded.

Bruce turned around to face the giant slug, only to turn as Steve spoke to him. "Dr. Banner. Now might be a really good time for you to get angry."

"That's my secret Cap," Banner said with a hint of a smirk. "I'm always angry."

With that, Banner's body grew into the Hulk's, his clothes ripping, skin turning green and muscles thickening. He reached full form as the slug reached him, where the Hulk smashed into it, the body building up and with the help of Tony, exploding.

Steve used his shield to cover himself and Natasha as Bethany and Thor protected their eyes from the light, but watching as the dust settled. Hulk roared loudly, ready for battle. The group circled together, Tony landing next to Bethany as she took out the blade from her boot, touching the blade lightly, watching as it easily sliced opened her finger.

"Guys," Natasha said, drawing their attention to the incoming Chitauri members from the portal.

"Call it Captain," Tony instructed.

"Alright, listen up!" Steve began, falling into the leader role so easily. "Until we can close that portal, our priority is containment. Barton, I want you on that roof. Eyes on everything. Call out patterns and strays. Stark; you got the perimeter. Anything get more than three blocks out, you turn it back or you turn it to ash."

"Give me a lift?" Clint asked.

"Better clench up, Legolas," Tony joked before the two soared into the sky.

_Legolas, why didn't I think of that?_ Bethany thought as Steve gave Thor his orders, the demi-god using his hammer to fly into the air.

"Us," Steve said drawing Bethany's attention. "The three of us stay here on the ground. We keep the fighting here, and people off the perimeter. And Hulk," The green monster turned around at Steve's words, looking at him expectantly. "Smash."

The smile they received before he jumped high into the air was both terrifying and adorable, his happiness to get permission to smash overwhelming. Bethany let out a deep breath before running forward, jumping on a car and onto the back of one of the aliens, stabbing it with her knife.

As the fighting surged on, Bethany strayed away from Steve and Natasha in favor of getting closer to the warriors. Cutting one open, she starred at it for a couple seconds, head cocked. "Are these things… droids?" She said to no one in particular.

She felt arms wrap around her neck, a sharp edge running across her neck. She fell to the ground, turning to her attacker, gasping for a couple seconds as her skin stitched itself back together. The soldier's head turned to the side slightly, confused at what it saw.

"I know," Bethany responded, standing up and taking a spear with her. "It's really not fair, is it?"

With that she threw the spear through the air, hitting her attacker. Looking around, the alleyway she was in was free from the alien species. Making her way back into the streets, she looked up at the bridge where Steve and Natasha were fighting. She cringed as she saw Steve narrowly miss an attack. She could feel her heart speed up in a way she never had for she never feared for her own life. A loud explosion to her left made her jump slightly, her gaze being drawn to the destruction around.

"Why is it always New York?" Bethany said to herself, thinking about the millions of TV shows and movies about the destruction of New York. "Why not a deserted island, or the arctic?"

Pieces of buildings were falling, adding to the ever growing piles on the ground, dust settling all around. The empty crushed cars all around made Bethany, for the first time in a long time, feel bad for humanity. There was no way of knowing exactly what would happen after this. Things wouldn't be easy, that much was for sure. There would be billions of dollars in repairs, people in therapy, hospitals, and most likely, graves. The worst thing was that there was no way of knowing if this would end with their victory.

"Steve?" Bethany called over the earpiece.

_ "What's wrong?"_ He asked, clearly out of breath, and clearly concerned with the tone of her voice. _"Beth?"_

Looking all around her, she knew she'd be crazy to not say it. She _had _to say it. If this was it, she wasn't going to lose her chance again. And if it wasn't, would it be such a bad thing? She knew it was true, and knew that the only reason she didn't want to say it out loud was fear of losing him all together, fear of it being permanent. But like he said, if it wasn't going to be hard, it wasn't worth fighting for. And it _was_ worth fighting for.

"I love you," she said before ducking as an alien staff came flying by her head.

_"You… what?"_ Steve asked, almost like he couldn't believe she said it.

Bethany took hold of the staff and rammed it backwards, the alien flying to the brick wall where he met his destiny with the spear as she punctured a hole through its body with it.

"I-" she began to repeat, taking in a deep breath. "I love you. I just wanted you to know."

_"You need to work on your timing, Bethany,"_ she heard Tony's voice through the comm.

"Private conversation here, kid," Bethany responded, running up the bridge and moving to where Steve and Natasha were fighting off some aliens. Using the borrowed staff, she used it like a machete and cut two of them in half with one swipe. Steve took out four with his shield as Natasha finished off another two before the street was eerily quiet.

"This is pointless," Bethany said as they met in the center. "Everytime we get rid of ten, twenty more come."

"We need to shut the portal," Natasha agreed. "Captain?"

Bethany looked up where Steve was watching Bethany carefully. "Do I have something on my face?" She asked, hand moving to her cheek.

"I think he's in… shock," Natasha said, pointing her gun up to the sky, shooting down an aircraft two aliens were riding.

"No," Steve responded, shaking his head. "Sorry, I just… never mind. How do we close it? Our biggest guns couldn't touch it."

"Remember what Erskine said?" Bethany thought, taking a step back and looking up at the portal. "'There are already so many big men fighting in this war. Maybe what we need now is a little guy.'"

"Good memory," Steve said, ducking slightly as a hovercraft flew by his head.

"All I'm saying is, maybe it's not about the biggest guns."

"Or guns at all," Natasha said, it all connecting in her head.

"If you want to get up there," Steve said, as Natasha started walking to the edge of the bridge. "You're going to need a ride."

She threw her spear aside, giving a smug look. "I got a ride. I could use a boost, though."

"Are you sure about this?" Steve asked.

"I'll go," Bethany volunteered. "If I fall, I'll be fine."

"It's good," Natasha fought. "It's gonna be fun."

Bethany shrugged, "It's your call."

Natasha responded by running and jumping on a nearby car, then onto Steve's shield as he pushed it upwards, her grabbing onto the hovercraft and sailing away.

"You said it," Steve said suddenly. "I-I wasn't expecting you to."

"You said you wanted spontaneous," Bethany reminded as Steve moved his shield to protect the two of them from a blast. "I'm gonna go up and see if I can help Clint-"

"No," Steve spoke, grabbing her wrist. "Stay here."

"Steve-"

"Please," he begged. "Just do it."

Bethany responded by taking out one of her guns and aiming for an incoming alien's head. "Fine," she agreed, taking her shot.

"There's more," Steve pointed as another group started towards them. Bethany responded by picking up Natasha's discarded spear and twirling it around her head.

"If only I retired," Bethany muttered, swiping at an alien's feet. She began a rhythm, her and Steve working as a team more than once. At one point, Tony landed by them, using his lasers against Steve's shield to destroy a couple of the soldiers before he flew away, leaving only two left.

Bethany headed towards one as Steve pursued the other. Taking a different approach, she tackled it to the ground, banging it's head against the pavement repeatedly before twisting it and pulling it straight off. Taking a second to breathe, she saw as Steve finished with the alien he was fighting.

"_Captain,"_ Clint's voice rang through the comm. "_The bank on 42nd past Madison. They've cornered a lot of civilians in there."_

Bethany offered her hand to Steve, helping him up. "We're on it," she responded to Clint as Steve caught his breath. "Any ideas?" She asked as they started running in that direction.

"I'll take on the Chitauri," he planned. "You get the people out, and into safety."

As they reached the bank, Bethany pointed to the window. "I see them on the top level. Go in from there. I'll go through the main door."

Steve nodded, the two splitting directions. As Bethany approached the doors, she was caught by a cop. "Hey, where are you going?"

"Inside," she said as if it was the stupidest question in the world.

"I can't let you in-" He began, taking a harder grip on her arm. Bethany rolled her eyes, careful to avoid real damage, twisting his arm. He let go, as she kicked open the door, a Chitauri member turning and going to attack her, his spear slicing open her face. The cop shot the alien, watching as Bethany's skin healed.

"Can I go in now?" Bethany asked as the cop stared at her skin. "Okay," she said receiving now answer and barging inside. As one came close to her, she grabbed it's neck, kicking its stomach and breaking his head off the body.

She heard an explosion from the level up, watching as a couple of the aliens fell to the ground. "EVERYONE DOWN!" She yelled, taking out her gun and as the crowd lowered, shot the remaining Chitauri down before everyone started filing out.

She turned to the cop and firemen that just joined them. "Get them off the streets. Basements-"

"Or subways," the cop finished. "I know, Star Spangled gave me the rundown."

"Have respect," Bethany said with a smirk. "He's an American Hero."

With that, she turned and helped Steve up off the top of a taxi where he undoubtedly fell. "You okay?" She asked, as he winced.

"That's going to leave a bruise," he muttered, looking as the panicked people exited the building. "This is exactly what I didn't want to happen."

"_This_," Bethany started, gesturing. "Is one of the reason why SHIELD was created. C'mon. We can take a breather after."

* * *

><p><p>

_"I can close it,_" Natasha said as Bethany, Steve and Thor stood, surveying the area. "_Can anyone copy? I can shut the portal down."_

"Do it!" Steve responded quickly.

_"No, wait." _Was Tony's reply.

"Kid, look around!" Bethany called out. "They keep coming."

"_I got a nuke coming in." _Tony explained. "_It's gonna blow in less than a minute. And I know just where to put it."_

Bethany's brows frowned for a couple seconds before her head darted up to the portal. "He wouldn't…" she said quietly, not wanting to believe it.

"Stark," Steve said, looking at Bethany's face, studying her emotions carefully. "You know that's a one-way trip."

"Tony," Bethany warned. "You don't have to do this."

"We both know that's not true Bethany," Tony responded, no waver in his voice. "I'm laying down on the wire."

Bethany's face fell a little, but she knew that if Tony was making this decision, then she shouldn't question it. But what she couldn't stand was her two favorite people in the world, both so different but meaning more to her than her own life, were making these decisions.

First it was Steve. And now, Tony. She was lucky enough to get Steve back, but as the hot rod red and gold of his suit got smaller and smaller, and Steve's body got closer to hers, she could feel her heart breaking. Then, he was gone.

They could see the explosion in the other universe and all the Chitauri around them stopped and fell to the ground, their power source gone. All of the group was looking up, waiting, hoping, none of them wanting to be the one to make the call, but knowing that the portal had to be closed before the after effects of the explosion travelled back.

Steve wrapped an arm around Bethany's body, her clutching to him tightly as they waited a couple more seconds. "Close it," Steve finally said.

As the portal got smaller and smaller, Bethany waited for the tears to come, but they didn't. It was almost like she had cried all the tears she could, and couldn't express her pain outwards anymore. _This is why you don't let people in_, she told herself.

Then, a small figure came falling out of the shrinking tunnel and Bethany let out a sigh of relief. "Son of a gun," Steve said, watching as his body fell fast.

"He's not slowing down," Thor spoke, starting to swing his hammer to catch him when the Hulk jumped from nowhere and caught Tony before he hit the ground. The three of them quickly ran to where the Hulk and Tony were laying on the ground. They all gathered around him, kneeling to assess his condition.

"Is he breathing?" Steve asked.

"He better be," Bethany said, keeping the fear out of her voice for her own sake. "Or I'm reviving him just to kill him."

Thor pulled off the lid of the helmet, showing Tony's dark features, eyes closed peacefully. Steve leaned down to listen to him breath, only sitting back up and placing a comforting hand on Bethany's back.

"Tony?" She said quietly, trying to keep a handle on her emotions. "Kid?"

She could feel tears welling up, and her desire to wrap her hands around Loki's throat and strangle him increased tenfold. She could barely even process this. There was no way she could live her life, a happy life, without Tony in it. He was more than her nephew. He was, despite his desire to not be, a Howard replacement. She always had one of them. She always needed one of them.

A loud roar from the Hulk made her jump, but also brought Tony back to the life of the living.

"What the hell?" He demanded, his eyes wide. "What just happened? Please tell me nobody kissed me."

Bethany chuckled, laying a hand on his chest, letting one tear fall down her face. "You asshole."

"We won," Steve told him, a small pant in his tone.

"Chitauri died Phantom Menace style," Bethany added, unable to keep her smile off her face.

Tony let out a relieved right, eyes closing in relaxation. "Alright, yay! Hurray. Good job, guys. Let's just not come in tomorrow. Let's just take a day. Have you ever tried Shawarma?" He asked looking at the Hulk. "There's a Shawarma joint about two blocks from here. I don't know what it is, but I want to try it."

Beside her, Steve was chuckling under his breath, Bethany shaking her head in amusement. "Your near death experience made you want to try Shawarma? Wait, what am I talking about? The last time you wanted _Burger King_."

"We're not done yet," Thor reminded them.

"Then Shawarma after," Tony said.

Bethany let out a tired chuckle, "And then a nap. No, a bath and _then_ a nap."

Tony let out a hum of approval, "But not the entire team together."

Bethany rolled her eyes, using Steve's shoulder and pushing against it to stand up. "Let's go get the emo princess before I fall asleep."

"Yeah, just let me…" Tony started, his arms and legs moving up slightly. "I just gotta…" He let out a groan, his face scrunched up before sighing and relaxing again. "Someone's gotta help me up."

Steve stood up, and with Thor's help, they helped Tony. "Looks like you need an oil can, Tin Man," Bethany said, her eyes batting heavily with fatigue, her adrenaline gone.

"Ha!" Tony let out sarcastically. "That's hilarious, Snow White."

Thor looked at Steve, "Do you understand their madness?"

Steve chuckled, "All too well." Wrapping his arm around Bethany's shoulder, allowing her to rest her head against his body, he looked around. "Some mess."

"S'okay," Bethany told him. "SHIELD'll clean it up."

A huge yawn escaped her. "When's the last time you slept?" Tony asked as they all started walking back to Stark Tower.

"Does the time that I was unconscious from being dead count?"

Tony thought about it, "Let's say no."

"M-Monday?" Bethany asked, not sure herself.

Steve stopped where they were, the entire ensemble stopping with him. "Gesh, Beth. It's _Friday._"

"You want to head back to your apartment?" Tony asked. "I can get J to reroute the power on the suit and drop you off-"

"No," Bethany said shaking her head, pulling Steve forward again so they could keep walking. "We're a team. We do this as a team. Plus, I want to see the look on Loki's face when we take him in. And why would I miss Shawarma?"

"Point taken," Tony agreed. "Have _you _ever tried it?"

"No, which is why I want too."

As the Tower came into view, Tony, Thor and Hulk flew up, or in Hulk's case, jumped up.

"Elevator, I guess," Bethany mumbled as her and Steve looked up. As they walked into the building, she let out another long yawn. "Hey, J. You wanna start up the power again?"

"_Of course, Miss. Stark. And welcome Captain Rogers," _JARVIS' voice rang.

"What was that?" Steve asked as the elevator dinged, the doors opening.

"That would be JARVIS," Bethany said, clicking the button for the top floor. "Just A Rather Very Intelligent System. He's Tony's artificial intelligence. He runs the building, Tony's suit and basically any other thing owned by him. He knows _everything_."

"Everything?" Steve asked as the elevator started upwards.

Bethany nodded, her eyes fluttering as she buried her head deeper in Steve's body. "Ask him a question."

"Oh, okay… umm, JARVIS?"  
>"<em>Yes, Captain Rogers?"<em>

"What's Bethany's favorite thing to eat?" The question made Bethany laugh, snuggling into his form even more.

"I meant something more broad," Bethany said in between her giggles.

_"For breakfast, Miss. Stark prefers chocolate chip waffles. For lunch, she usually leans towards pasta and cheese. Her favorite dinner food is fajitas and dessert is chocolate fondue._"

"Chocolate fondue?" Steve said, looking down at her.

She let out a delighted hum. "Instead of cheese and bread, its melted chocolate and fruit."

"Yum," Steve said, his stomach letting out a low rumble.

"Maybe fondue after Shawarma?" Bethany asked as the elevator reached the top for and opened.

"I really think you need to _sleep_ after Shawarma," Steve disagreed as they stepped into the open space, the majority of the room in shambles. Spotting the team out on the terrace, they started over, seeing an unconscious Loki lying on the ground.

"No, I feel gross, I need a bath," Bethany said, the last word distorted with another yawn. "But I really want fondue."

"How about _in_ the tub?" Steve suggested as the rest of the team noticed their arrival.

Bethany smiled. "_Now _you're talking. A little champagne, some bubbles. Maybe some soothing music."

Tony made a face, "I don't care how innocent this conversation is, please stop."

"Shall we?" Clint said, pointing to Loki, who was starting to stir.

They all silently and exhaustedly gathered around the demi-god as he turned over, face cut and a look of, not quite guilt for his actions, but for being caught, overtook his face. "If it's the same to you," he said, looking to Tony. "I'll have that drink now."

Bethany scoffed, moving her hand up to her ear. "Director? We have him. Stark Tower."

_"Copy that, Agent Stark. I'll be there with a team momentarily. You'll have to come in for debriefin-"_

"No, no, no," Bethany interrupted. "I think we've done enough today. We're going out for Shawarma after you pick up Loki."

No response was given, but Bethany could only assume Fury was angry. Although, when the team did arrive, he didn't hold any hostility. Instead, with Thor's strict instructions on how to keep Loki in SHIELD's hands until such time as he was ready to return to Asgard, he allowed the team to go get Shawarma.

By this time, Bruce had returned to his normal form. Tony, who had taken off the suit, happily provided him with some clothes. Bethany took the first aid kit out from under Tony's bar, which was there at Pepper's insistence, and sat Steve down at a bar stool and began to look at the red scratch on his arm.

"Its fine," he assured her. "I've had worse."

"I'm aware of that," she told him. "It's almost healed."

"See?" Steve said with a hint of a smile. "I'm in one piece. What about you? Still doing okay?"

"Now that Loki is in custody and I get a long deserved vacation?" Bethany asked, taking her hair out of the pony tail and massaging her skull. "Yeah. I'm doing okay."

* * *

><p><p>

Arriving at the Shawarma joint Tony suggested, the owners were only glad to offer them food in exchange for saving the town, and most likely the world. Bethany and Natasha went to the tables, pulling two together as the men ordered their food.

"I heard something about a vacation," Natasha said, pulling some chairs over.

"Ireland," Bethany revealed. "Clint will probably get one too. Fury just wants to make sure we won't crack from Loki's control."

"Do you think you will? And tell me the truth," Natasha said, leaning close to her across the table. "I need to know. As both your friend and his."

"Right now, I feel fine. I'm exhausted, but I feel good. In control. But to tell you the truth, I don't know if it'll last. I agree with Fury's suggestion. Taking on too much now might drive me certifiably insane."

As for the conversation with the men, Clint and Thor were getting to know each other. Banner was looking over every food option and trying to determine which choices would best satisfy his hunger. Tony, however, was thinking over his near death experience. All he wanted was one more moment with Pepper, who he quickly called on their way over to the restaurant. He truly thought he would never see her again, but knew what he was doing was the right thing.

He understood Steve a little better now. Tony knew that everything was going to change, and he was going to take every moment that Pepper would give him to prove his undying love and respect for her. He would protect and care for her like he never would before. He would, in a better sense, be like Steve.

"Take care of her Cap," Tony said to Steve, who looked at him surprised. "I know she's this big bad SHIELD agent, but she's fragile. She's always needed someone to look out for her, even if she's capable of taking care of herself."

"I know," Steve said softly. "Now more than ever before."

"She's vulnerable with you," Tony revealed. "She's emotional. She's reckless. But she's vulnerable without you too. Just in a different way. She may be different now than I've ever known her, but she's happy. I know that."

"Thank you. I needed to hear you say the words."

Tony reached over the counter for his finished platter. "You're welcome wing head."

* * *

><p><p>

After changing out of their uniforms and giving very brief statements, Steve and Bethany got a ride home from some SHIELD executives. It was almost impossible to get through any street in the area, the majority of it blocked off by SHIELD or other governmental organizations. The ride back to the apartment was longer than Bethany anticipated, but she really didn't mind seeing as she fell asleep five minutes in.

When Steve woke her up when they arrived, she could feel how sore her body was. Yes, she had regenerative blood, but that didn't mean she didn't feel the strain of her workouts every once and a while. As they hobbled up the stairs, both of him babying their muscles, the apartment seemed almost completely empty.

"People must've fled," Bethany said after letting out a long yawn. "Do you want to head in and start the bath? The bubbles are under the sink, just read the instructions. I just want to see if Jen and Theo are home."

Steve nodded. "Sounds good. And by the way, I didn't know what to do with Molly, so she's over at their place right now."

He took out the keys and unlocked the door as Bethany nodded. She went up to Jen's door and knocked four times before the door opened. Jen looked completely frazzled, but thankful to see her. "Oh thank god you're alright!"

"Theo okay?" Bethany asked as Molly trotted over to her, rubbing her head against Bethany's leg, her purrs loud.

"Yeah, he's in his room right now." Jen explained. "We were watching it on TV and then… Bethany, I hope you don't mind me asking, but _where_ were you?"

Looking past Jen's head, she could see the TV screen flicker, showing clips of all the Avengers. She could see Tony's suit, Natasha's brilliant red hair, Hulk's bulging green muscles, Thor's lightning, Clint's arrows, Steve's shield and an out of focus image of herself.

_Shit_, she thought. As a spy, she always did her best to keep out of the spotlight. And besides her occupation, there was the small fact that she was technically supposed to be dead. Yes, she changed her hair colour, but she didn't look _that_ different to her old self, especially considering the fact that the majority of old photos of her were in black and white.

It has been possible for SHIELD to erase any relation between her and Steve, but they couldn't erase her existence completely. "Around," Bethany settled with. "Look," she began again as she saw Jen's frustrated face. "I can't… I can't talk about it right now. Does Theo… did he..?"

"Recognize you?" Jen asked. "No. I don't think anyone would that doesn't know you. But, he did see Captain America. Which is another thing-"

"I know you have questions," Bethany said leaning down to pick up her calico cat. "But I can't answer them now. I will though. Soon. Before I leave."

"'Leave'? Leave where?" Jen questioned, leaning against the doorframe.

"Ireland," Bethany said with a sigh. "Steve and I are going on vacation. We're… we're trying to make a relationship work, but we need to get away from everything first."

Jen nodded, a look of disappointment crossing her features. "How is it that you find someone as perfect as Steve so quick and I'm still dating no-good jerks?"

"I've had my fair share of those," Bethany assured. "But Steve and I… there's a lot of history, and a lot of heartbreak. But there's more good than bad, and I can't remember the last time I've been so happy through desperate situations."

Jen gave her a small smile, fingers tapping on her thigh. "Where is he now?"

"Drawing a bath," Bethany said, stuffing one hand in her back pocket.

"Mustn't keep him waiting," Jen responded, her voice plain.

"Wait, are you… are you _mad _at me?"

Jen scoffed, shaking her head. "Not mad… just…"

"What?" Bethany demanded, growing patient. "Look, if you're mad, just tell me why."

"Momma?" Theo called from his bedroom.

"I've gotta go," Jen said, closing the door on Bethany's face. Bethany stood there for a moment, unsure of how to react. She was confused, hurt and a little dazed. _This is why you don't get closed to people_, she thought for what was most likely the millionth time that day.

Shaking her head, she turned on her heel and made her way into her apartment. Putting Molly down, she peered into the bathroom, noticing that the giant bathtub was full of bubbles, but empty of a certain soldier. Turning her head at a small clacking in the kitchen, she saw Steve cutting up some bananas and strawberries in just his pants.

Closing the door, she leaned against it, watching as his muscles tensed with every movement. She could see the scrapes and bruises all over his chest, arms and back, but she knew a few more days and they would be nothing but a memory.

"What you doing, soldier?" She asked, swaying over to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing her forehead against his skin.

"Cutting the fruit," Steve told her, his voice low. "They aren't in the best of shape, since we got them a couple days ago, but I think they'll be fine."

Bethany smiled, placing a kiss on his spine before pushing off him and going to get her homemade fondue kit. It took a mere seconds for the broken chocolate pieces in the pot to melt, and gathering the bowls and a bottle of champagne, set up their dessert in the bathroom.

"Your breath smells like garlic," Bethany teased as Steve leaned down to kiss her forehead. "I think that's the only downside to Shawarma."

"Well, now we know," Steve said, watching as Bethany plugged her iPod into some speakers, soft music filling the room.

"I miss my phone," Bethany moaned. It had been left where Loki's hideout was, and since she turned it off, they couldn't track it. Nonetheless, she put the iPod down and pulled her hair to one side of her head. "Hop in," she instructed to Steve as she took some fluffy towels out for later.

Steve nodded, stripping of the rest of his clothes and quickly getting into the tub. The line on where they stood was being blurred. They were together, but agreed for no sex. Then there was also the fact that here they were, about to take a bath together- naked of course- after just saving the world.

Steve watched carefully as Bethany slowly started to remove her clothes, wincing slightly as her muscles moved. "Nice and warm?" She asked, turning to meet his gaze.

Steve ducked his head a little. Despite everything, he was still embarrassed to be caught staring at her. She, however, gave him a sweet smile before unhooking her bra and leaving her body bare. "Should we sit facing each other, or?"

While the bathtub was leaning on large standards, Steve realized that the best position to be in would be her back against his chest. He opened his arms, gesturing for her. She climbed in, letting out a sigh of relief as the hot water enveloped her, leaning back against Steve's body.

Steve smiled as the familiar melody of _The Way You Look Tonight_ floated through the air, Peggy Lee's beautiful tone filling him with fond memories. Bethany hummed under her breath, occasionally singing a line of two.

_"Lovely, never, never change. Keep that breathless charm. Won't you please arrange it for I love you. Just the way you look tonight."_

"Say it again," Steve whispered against her ear. Bethany let out a questioning hum, her eyelids fluttering closed.

"Say what?" She asked, compressing a yawn.

"You know very well what," Steve responded, his arms wrapping around her torso, his fingers very close to her breasts. "The only thing I've ever wanted you to say?"

"Oh," Bethany said, a smile crossing her face. "That. Maybe I want to take it back," she joked. "The world isn't ending and we're both- ahh!" She jumped as Steve's hands cupped her breasts suddenly, giving them a tentative squeeze.

"Say it," Steve said lightly, breathing against her neck.

"I love you," she let out as he kissed the crook of her neck.

"Again," Steve instructed. She could feel him smiling against her skin.

She let out a small moan, her hands resting on his and dragging them back down to her stomach. While she trusted him to play nice and stop when he needed to, she didn't trust herself. "I love you, Captain Rogers."

"One more time," he pleaded, tilting her head to look into her eyes.

When she opened her mouth again, Steve could see the truth shining from the green orbs. They were no longer filled with pain and bad memories, but hope for the future. "I love you, Steve Rogers."

"I love you too," he told her with a soft smile, leaning down to capture her lips, the kiss not as heat filled as it could have been, but being perfect nonetheless.

* * *

><p><strong>**AN: Look who, after 21 chapters, finally came to her senses and said those 3 little words.**

**Next update will be after I see _Winter Soldier,_ and since I have a million questions for what Steve's life is like after the battle of New York, the timing couldn't have been more perfect.**

**Jordan Lynn 7: Haha, yeah not at all. He's in for a rude awakening, that's for sure.**

**FeliciaFelicis: I'm not gonna tell you _everything_ about the upcoming plot, so you'll have to wait a little longer. I'm seeing it the 3rd of April, so not too much longer to wait. I made the decision on reading spoilers… yeah, I'm regretting that. My feels are taking a beating like there's no tomorrow. And of course I'll be staying through the credits! Haha, my dad is taking me that night (his treat, so why would I refuse?) and he never lets us leave until the entire thing is done, no matter what movie it is.**

**BellaDamonLover: Inflating my ego, eh? Let me tell you, when I read your comment, it was literally 'let's compliment Katie' day. All day I kept getting a million compliments. It was a good day. I have a huge Stony crush too. I mean, I have a t-shirt of them and I wear all the time. Love them.**

**Aschen: Yes I will! Not right after these events, as the movie takes place two years after I believe. I want to try my best to fill them with adventures, mishaps and of course fluff. Plus, despite the fact that I already have 7 (yes 7) different occasions planned to see the movie, I may prolong writing about it until it's out on DVD. I haven't really decided yet.**

** But trust me, I already have some things planned for _Winter Soldier_ and even _Age of Ultron_.**

**I just know where I want Steve and Bethany to go, and I'm hoping the scripts will accommodate.**

**252020: As I've said before, I'll be weening off the movies a little now just to focus on the next two years of Steve and Bethany's life. If there's anything specific you want to read, feel free to tell me! Not to mention, what you found interesting so far, so I can do more of that for you. Nonetheless, thanks for the kind words.**

**GENERAL QUESTION: How long should I wait until more steamy scenes do we think? ;)**


	22. Chapter 22

****A/N: I just want to start by saying how much I love you guys. I am so grateful for you, and everytime I get a favorite, follow or review, my heart soars a little. I've always written fanfiction for myself, but I feel so blessed to hear everyone's opinions. I want to send a special shout out to FeliciaFelicis who has been with me basically from the start, always leaving a long review. This one's for you. **

**Without giving away any spoilers, here's my reaction to _Winter Soldier_: Holy shit. I can't even freak out about it because I am _literally _in shock mode. My feels took an even bigger beating then they have ever before. Peggy, Howard, Bucky. I'm sorry, but everytime they were on screen/mentioned I wanted to cry. Painful stuff, man. **

**ALSOOOOOO: You're all safe from spoilers. I'm waiting awhile until I get to that plotline. Anything that is related to _The Winter Soldier_ are things I thought of prior (I'm just really good at guessing Marvel's storylines) or done with research. You won't even know they're apart of the movie until you see it. **

**Bethany wears a dress later on in this chapter; if you wanna get a visual, type in 'Juliette Barnes For Your Glory' in Google Images. It's the green/blue/yellow one. **

**My chapters don't have titles, but if they did, this one would be called 'A Matter of Trust'. **

Chapter 22

Bethany jolted awake, feeling a thin sheen of sweat covering her body. Taking deep breaths in, she ran her fingers through her hair, pushing the strands out of her face while willing her nightmares to fly away.

A hand on her back made her jump, clutching the sheets as she turned. "Hey," Steve said his hands up in a motion of surrender. "It's just me."

Bethany visibly relax, her breathing evening out. "I-I forgot you were here."

"You okay?" He asked, sitting up against the headboard, taking her hand.

She nodded, swallowing hard. "Just a dream."

He waited for her to elaborate. "And?"

"And I don't want to talk about it," She insisted. "What time is it?"

Steve turned his head to the glow of the alarm clock. "Almost eight. Beth, are you sure-"

"We should start getting ready," She interrupted. "Thor and Loki are leaving at noon, and I still have some unfinished business."

"Do you think that's a good ide-"

"Do you want coffee?" Bethany asked, interrupting him again. Getting out of the bed, she reached for a large Stark Industries sweater and pulled it over her camisole and silk shorts, the hem going almost to her knees.

"I want for you to get back in bed and stop interrupting me," Steve admitted, watching as she pulled her long hair into a bun at the back of her head.

"Black?" She asked, not listening to his words, leaving the room. Steve immediately followed her, pulling his khakis over his boxers along the way.

"I'm not dropping this," Steve told her, watching as she began brewing a pot of coffee. "You said you'd be more honest with me."

"You want honesty?" Bethany asked, turning around to face him. "I _honestly_ don't want to talk about it. Okay, it was a stupid dream."

A moment passed before Steve crossed his arms. "If you really felt that way, you would tell me. Beth, it's me. I'm not going to think you're weak, or silly. I'm not going to analyse your thoughts and judge you. I just want to help."

"You can help by dropping it," Bethany settled with.

Steve sighed, shaking his head. "So this where we are?"

"It was a _dream_!" She said, losing her temper. "It's not some grand secret I'm holding from you in reality. It's not real."

She turned her gaze away from him, giving more interest to the brown liquid dripping to the pot than needed. Steve sighed, moving closer to her. "I'm sorry. You're right, I shouldn't push."

Bethany let out a heavy sigh before turning and wrapping her arms around his waist, resting her head on his chest. He enclosed her in his embrace, rubbing soothing circles on her back. "I just want to forget about it. Not dwell, not remember. Just forget. And you should trust me to make the right choice on whether to share these things with you. I told you, I need my time to open up completely."

"I'm sorry," Steve repeated, kissing the top of her head.

"Don't be," she responded. "There's nothing to be sorry over. Now, coffee?"

* * *

><p><p>

There seemed to be a sense of peace that day around SHIELD. It was back to business as usual, covering up lies and deceit. More agents were on clean up duty than ever before. "It's imminent that we get every piece of Chitauri weaponry away from the public," Fury said as Bethany followed him through a series of doors. Steve was with Tony and Banner, not having SHIELD access to where they were going.

"We'll collect them and analyse them, but I can assure you, they will be heading to the Sandbox."

"Perfect," Bethany responded. "I may be on vacation, but I want to have access to all those files. I think I've earned that right."

"You have," Fury agreed. "In fact, I think you've earned a promotion."

"Wait, what?" Bethany said, stopping, a small smile gracing her features. "Are you serious?"

Fury nodded. "We've kept you on a short leash for a long time, Agent Stark. I think the recent turn of events goes to show that you are capable of being more than a level 10 SHIELD agent. That is, if you want more responsibility."

"I've spent my entire career trying to prove this," Bethany insisted.

"We've noticed," Fury told her. "You've always had access to anything relating to the super soldier project, old and new. This will continue, except you are officially the head of the matter. When it comes to it, there's no one of higher status than you. You'll have full command. And on top of that, we're going to start giving you solo missions. Think you're up to it?"  
>"Yes," Bethany responded quickly.<p>

"There's one more thing," Fury said, opening a door and pulling her in. Taking out a device and checking for bugs, Bethany raised an eyebrow. "Room secure," he told her, putting the device away.

"Director?" Bethany asked, looking around the small room.

"It's always best to be safe than sorry," Fury explained. "That nuke. I didn't authorize it. Neither did Hill. I realized that things can go very wrong, very fast from _inside_ an organization. Hill is my second in command, that isn't going to change. But I need something more than that."

"What exactly do you want me to do?" Bethany questioned, folding her arms.

"Be my own personal spy," Fury explained. "My own personal SHIELD agent. I need someone who I can trust."

"And that's me?" Bethany asked, not believing it.

He nodded. "You follow orders. You are without a doubt the most skilled agent we have. Whole SHIELD teams are built on aspects you have; combat skills, medical training, computer science and engineering experience and leadership skills. I'll have assignments for you that won't even go into SHIELD's database."

"You trust me that much?" Bethany tested.

"Yes," Fury held.

"See if you still want me to do this after I ask for a favor," Bethany continued. "I want to speak to Loki."

"Why?" Fury asked, no emotion in his tone.

Bethany shrugged slightly. "This is a chapter in my life I want to close. But you know me; I can't move on unless I have closure. I didn't get that with Steve, and I turned into the literal sense of the walking dead. I didn't get it with Howard, and I'm still convinced it wasn't an accident. I still think about it, and while I was told to drop the pointless search, I can't let it go. But with things like Daniel McCain's death: as soon as I found out who was responsible and got justice, I was able to let it go."

"You want revenge," Fury filled.

"No," she disagreed. "I just want to talk to him. I won't even touch him."

Fury sighed, but nodded. "Loki is Thor's prisoner. You need to ask him."

"But I have clearance?"  
>"As of right now," Fury said, moving towards the door and opening it. "You have clearance to everything SHIELD is a part of. Partner."<p>

* * *

><p><p>

"Are you sure this is what you desire?" Thor asked, standing in front of Loki's prison cell, even more impressive than the one designed for the Hulk.

"I've learned a lot over the past decades," Bethany assured. "And I know that I can't skip over any chance I get."

"Loki is manipulative," Thor reminded. "Do not let him get inside your head."

"Trust me, I have no intention of it. And he'll barely be the one talking. I'll be in control of when he can and can't."

Thor thought about it for another second before nodding. "We must be going soon, so make your exchanges quickly."

Bethany nodded as she was granted access into the room. Loki sat chained to the wall, looking extremely displeased. Bethany pulled out the small remote Fury gave her. "See this?" She told him. "This lets me open up one of the shades of that mouthpiece, letting you speak. Which you will, when I tell you to."

He narrowed his eyes, but she didn't let this stop her as she sat down across from him, giving him a fake smile. "Now, promise to be a good demi-god?"

Loki nodded and Bethany pressed the button. "You have some nerve coming here."

"Nerve? No. Just the need for answers."

He smirked a little, shifting his position. "You'll never have them all. No matter how far you dig. You live in a bubble of secrets. No, I think you're here for something more. You can't get me out of your head. And more so, it pains you to realize now that you'll never be free. That being under my control was as free as you've ever been."

"I'm free now," Bethany responded.

"That's what you believe," Loki said. "But you follow orders. Held to this organization with the fear of your secrets being exposed. But you aren't free. Not today. Not yesterday. It's been a long time since you've ever been free."

"Why do you think this way?" Bethany asked, showing no emotion. In actuality, this was exactly what she wanted to hear. She wanted to know his opinion, because despite her deep burning hatred for him, he was a brilliant man. He couldn't manipulate her if there was nothing to manipulate. She was running out of faith.

She had woken up that morning, reeling over her dream. She was still under Loki's command in it, but he was right. She _did_ feel freer than she did in reality. Loki's orders felt like they were her own. His command to kill Fury, to kill Natasha, to kill Clint. Banner, Thor, Tony and Steve. To kill people who were already dead. To kill Bucky and McCain, Coulson and Erskine. To kill Howard. She woke up at that point. Seeing her brother's face, growing pale, eyes dead. In her dream, she had felt no fear. She felt liberated and free. They were all holding her back from being free. So she killed them.

"You don't know how to be yourself," Loki explained. "You are what everyone wants you to be. A ruthless agent. A loving girlfriend. Two very different sides of the coin. But you are neither."

"You don't even know me," Bethany told him.

"Which is why I can see through you so clearly. Before arriving here, I knew nothing about you. I picked you for your assets, but I did not know of your history. I did not know of where you came from or who you were as a person. I wanted you to be nothing more than a follower. You want so desperately for people to see you in one light, you don't even know who you are anymore."

Bethany frowned, but realized he was right. So many SHIELD directors wanted her to be an emotionless robot, to carry out the hard assignments, no moral compass to guide her. Her neighbours wanted her to be kind and caring, that ideal of 'perfection' that never existed beyond 1950's television shows. And she really believed that Steve wanted her to be that as well. She couldn't be both. And she couldn't be herself, because herself was too foreign. She could remember the last time she was herself, no mental illness plaguing her, not putting up with anyone's shit.

_It was before she was with Steve, but just before. It was him, Bucky, Howard and Peggy, all together in the lab, just before her and Steve made love for the first time. She was sitting on the ground, half of Steve's shield held in her lap, the other in his as they fixed the paint chips. Howard was next to them on the workbench, trying to show Peggy and Bucky an invention that later became known as a microwave. _

_ "You're overthinking it," Bethany insisted._

_ "Or the technology doesn't exist," Howard said._

_ "Then create it," she retorted, giving him a 'duh' look. _

_ Bucky chuckled, "You two argue like an old married couple."_

_ "Ew," Bethany said, flicking some paint in his general direction._

_ "All I'm saying," Bucky said through his laughs. "Is that you argue a lot, but it's never serious. It's always over stupid little things."_

_ "You won't think it's stupid when it works," Howard insisted._

_ "Oh Howard," Peggy said shaking her head. "You always have one foot in the future. What's wrong with just focusing on the now. Like, just off the top of my head, finding out where HYDRA is getting its power source from?"_

_ "Magic," Bethany told her. "We've determined that whatever it is has to be magic."_

_ "I thought you said you didn't believe in magic," Steve asked. "That everything was explained by science."_

_ Bethany raised her eyebrows, shrugging. "I don't care what anyone says. Zola isn't smarter than me and Howard put together. He obviously has an advantage."_

_ "Maybe its aliens," Bucky said, clearly joking._

_ "You can't rule anything out," Bethany pointed. "Science is discovering new things every single day. We can't just look around and say 'this is as good as its gonna get'."_

_ "Ah, a statement you used to say every morning while looking in the mirror," Howard teased. _

_ Peggy, Bucky and Steve's confused faces made Bethany sigh. "I was an ugly duckling. About 80 percent of childhood photos of me met a tragic death in the fireplace one fine November afternoon. I think it was a Tuesday."_

_ "Rogers! Carter! Barnes!" They heard from behind them. Steve quickly stood up, Colonel Phillips walking to them. "What are you doing? I thought I told you to hand in your reports on the mission by this afternoon."_

_ "They're in my office," Peggy assured. "All ready for filing. Well, that is except Bethany's."_

_ Phillips looked down at her and she just shrugged. "I've been busy."_

_ "Nothing is of more importance than your report," Phillips pressed._

_ "Why?" She tested. "It's going to say the exact same thing Steve and Bucky's do, just with less military lingo."_

_ "Miss. Stark," Phillips spoke, clearly losing his patience._

_ "She'll get it done now," Steve said, turning to look down at her. "Won't you, Bethany?"_

_ "See that she does," Phillips ordered before leaving._

_ "What?" Bethany asked, seeing the faces of four very surprised people._

_ "You back talked the Colonel," Peggy explained._

_ Bethany shrugged, cracking her fingers. "So? He isn't the boss of me. I'm not here on his orders. I'm here because someone said 'hey, this dame is really smart and we'd be idiots not to ask her to join our super-secret science team.' Key word: ask. I was asked to be here, and whether I stay or go is ultimately up to me. I don't follow anyone's 'orders' unless I want to."_

* * *

><p><p>

"Go ahead," Fury said as they walked into his office. "The system has everything set up. Try opening up the file on GH-325."

Bethany frowned, never even hearing of that before. "Open up file GH-325," she spoke into the system. "Stark, Bethany E."

As the computer recognized her identification, it opened up the electronic file on the glass screen of a computer. Bethany stepped forward reading about the drug. "A miracle drug?" Bethany asked, scrolling the screen down.

"It hasn't been tested on humans," Fury continued. "It's all theoretical. Some of the scientists are worried about it having… unwanted side effects."

"Well that generally_ is_ the concern when it comes to testing new things. But why did you want me to see this?" She asked, closing the file. "You want to test it on me?"

"No," Fury shook his head. "Your body would probably work off any side effects. No, I wanted to get your opinion on testing it on someone who's dead."

"Dead?" Bethany shrugged. "I mean on one hand you wouldn't be making it worse. However, if it works and the person has side effects… You have to be prepared for consequences. Do you have someone in mind?"

"Agent Coulson," Fury told her.  
>Bethany's eyebrows raised. "Who else knows about this?"<p>

"Hill and a team of doctors," Fury answered. "But I don't care what they think. I want to know your opinion."

"I'm biased," Bethany spoke. "I miss Phil. The fact that my blood doesn't heal anyone but me constantly pains me, but what are you going to do if he comes back from the dead and holds a grudge?"

"I'll handle that," Fury promised. "Do you approve?"

Bethany sighed, closing her eyes momentarily as she crossed her arms. "I don't not approve."

"Double negative, equals a positive," Fury said. "We'll begin the procedures soon. You're welcome to join."

"I'm on vacation, remember?" Bethany asked. "Keep me updated, though."

A knock on the door brought their attention over to it. Bethany went over and opened it, Steve standing there with his hands in his pockets. "Thor's getting anxious."

"Right," Bethany said giving a small salute to Fury.

"Have a safe trip Agent Stark," Fury bid her, with a nod. "You need this break more than anyone at SHIELD."

Bethany gave him a curt nod, them sharing one more look of secrecy before she and Steve left the room.

"You couldn't have been in Fury's office that long," Steve said as they began down the hall.

She shook her head. "I… I talked to Loki."

"You, wait, you did what?" Steve asked, halting in his place, taking a hold of her arm. "Are you insane?"

"Yes," Bethany said with a smirk. "But nothing happened, okay? In fact, he helped me."

"How?" Steve retorted. "He's manipulative and dec-"

"He's brilliant," Bethany fought back. "Evil, but a genius. Listen, I know it seems weird, but he made me realize something about myself. I haven't been _me_ since 1944. I've been trying to be whatever I thought people wanted me to be."

"How do you mean?" he asked, leaning forward to push a stray piece of hair out of her face.

"Well," she started. "When we started… going steady," she filled in, not really knowing how to put their former relationship into words, "I really thought what you wanted was a perfect person. Loving, caring and typical for the 1940's. I tried to be like that, and it _broke _me."

"I never wanted you to do that," he told her, eyes deeply blue.

"I know that now," Bethany responded with a small smile. "You, for only reasons God knows, loved me with grease on my face and wearing men's clothes. You didn't want typical."

"No I didn't," he said chuckling, that long piece of hair falling in his view.

"A lot of things went wrong," Bethany continued. "And I know it was my fault. But I also know I wasn't myself. I _really_ think we can make this work if I just be myself again. Not following anyone's orders but my own."

"Good for you," Steve told her with a smile. "Because you're right. I love you unconditionally, but it was you being you that I fell in love with. The outspoken language, the fact that you didn't care what people thought. Maybe going on vacation will help you find yourself again."

"Maybe," Bethany agreed. "But I'm gonna have to revoke the 'no technology' thing. I need to tinker to be me."

Steve laughed, leaning in to kiss her softly. "I think I can deal with that."

"Now, before Thor summons the lightning, we should go," Bethany said pulling his arm down to the garage level.

"The group is the other way-" Steve tried as Bethany opened the garage. "Woah."

"Yup," Bethany said as they took in the rows of expensive cars and motorcycles. "And this one," she started, sitting on the seat of one of the bike. "Is yours."

"Really?" Steve asked, eyebrows raised.

"Think of it as a 'thank-you-for-saving-the-city-and-possibly-the-world-not-to-mention-sorta-kinda-ending-the-war-70-years-ago' gift from SHIELD."

"I can't just accept it-"

"Like hell you can't," Bethany said leaning forward. "This thing is beautiful and if you don't accept it, I will. I mean, I've already got my reward from SHIELD, but this… So beautiful."

Steve shook his head, climbing on the bike, lifting his arms so Bethany could wrap hers around his waist. "What did you get?" He asked before revving the engine.

"A promotion," she said with a smirk. "A long overdue promotion. I may not _be_ Director of SHIELD, but I have all the same file accesses as him."

"And what's the first thing you're going to do with all that power?" Steve asked, turning his head and giving her a small smile.

"Get access to my full medical records," Bethany shared. "There's no more measles, no more polio. Kids can even grow up without chicken pox. Medicine is evolving beyond ways I ever thought possible, and I know that with my medical records, I can un-tap some sort of potential. I've only ever been privy to the basics."

"But it's your body," Steve said, steering the bike out from it's space and carefully turning down the corridor. "Shouldn't they tell you everything?"

"SHIELD works in compartments. People in level 2 don't know things that people in level 7 do, and vice versa. It's for safety. If one agent in 3 gets kidnapped, they can't spill all of SHIELD secrets under torture. It's a system that's proved to work. Since my body in a way is an experiment, only certain doctors know certain things about me. All they've told me over the years was if I was healthy or unhealthy. Body, always healthy. Mind, usually not. It'll be interesting to learn more about myself."

"_After_ vacation," Steve pressed. "You heard Fury. You need this break."

"Fine," she grumbled, but smiled. "But I want to stop by the SHIELD medical facility in New York. Selvig and Clint have to go in for quick brain scan just like I did. I want to know the results."

Steve gave a nod as they exited the garage and started down the road towards the meeting spot.

* * *

><p><p>

As the group watched the blue beam of light carry the brothers away, everyone's bodies visibly relaxed. It was gone. He was gone. They were, at least for the time being, safe. They wouldn't have to worry about what Loki's next move was or the Tesseract mysteriously acting up and blowing up countries.

Bethany watched as the deep lines on Steve's face evened out. She hadn't missed his look of hatred to the blue cube. He probably had more reason than anyone else to hold a personal vengeance to the glowing cube. Now, he looked at ease, and more importantly, content.

She gave Tony's arm a quick punch before he pulled her in for a tight hug. "Don't be a stranger," Tony reminded her. "Come by the Tower whenever. It's heaven for people like you and me."

"I'll see you at the end of the month," Bethany promised. "Give you and Pepper some alone time."

Bethany slipped away and walked over to Clint while Steve and Tony shook each other's hands. "Nat said Fury was promoting you. Congrats, old timer."

"Thanks, _Merida,_" She teased. "Heading to the medical facility?"

"Nah, Nat and I are gonna get a beer." He answered. "I told Fury I'd do the scans before my next assignment, but that I needed some time."

Bethany nodded, understanding completely. "You know where to reach me if you need anything."

"That I do," Clint said before leaning inside Natasha's car and pulling out a box. "You never answered, so I got assorted."

Bethany frowned for a second, then opened the box to see rows of condoms. She closed the box, let out a huff and pushed them back to his body. "Seriously?"

"Better be safe than sorry," Clint said, pushing the box back to her. Bethany shook her head, realizing he was right, taking the box, giving him a one-armed hug and moving to Steve's bike. She secured it in the box at the back and waited as Steve joined her.

"Feels good, doesn't it?" Steve asked, as she wrapped her arms around him. She smiled, spreading out her hands against his abs.

"Sure does," she said sultry.

"I was talking about the cube being gone," he clarified.

"Oh, I guess that feels pretty good too," she joked.

Steve shook his head, Bethany catching his smile through the mirror. "Ready?"

"Start your engines!" She said in a deep voice, echoing the words. Steve shifted his body, turning to her with a confused expression. "You need a list."

"A list?" He asked, his hair falling from its coif again.

"Of everything you don't understand," Bethany explained. "Every night, we can cover a couple things from the list."

"That's… that's brilliant."

She flipped some hair out of her face as Steve started up the engine and steered the bike down the road slowly. "Well I _am_ a genius."

"It's been one hour since you decided to act like the old you, and you're already mastering it," Steve told her with a chuckle in his tone as they stopped at the intersection.

"_And it feeeelllls nice, like sugar and spice_," She sang loud over the rumble. _"So good! So good! I got you."_

* * *

><p><p>

Sitting outside the examination room, Steve listened to Bethany's iPod. She had immediately stuck the blue ear buds in his ears to play the James Brown song she sang on their way there. Bethany was shuffling through a desk, looking for a new notebook for Steve to use. Finding one with a cry of 'a-ha!', she threw it like a boomerang over to Steve where it hit his chest, falling into his lap. Looking up from the iPod screen, Bethany couldn't help but send him a cheeky smile, biting her tongue in the mix.

"Someone's in a good mood," Steve declared, pulling out the earphones.

"Yeah, I feel liberated," she announced, flopping beside him. "Hey, after this, I was thinking we could go to Olive Garden. I hear they have _really _good breadsticks."

Steve's lip quirked, that classic smile that indicated to her she was borderline crazy, but endearing at the same time. "Whatever you want, doll."

"And _speaking_ of that!" She said, turning in her seat to face him.

"No more coffee for you," Steve announced, watching as her excitement grew.

"You made a promise to me about pet names," Bethany reminded him.

He nodded. "I remember."

"And..?" She said, gesturing her hand for more.

"And one day," he told her. "If you _calm _down. You're off your rocker, right now."

"Agent Stark," she heard from behind her. She quickly turned her head, an expression of a guilty child on her face.

"Dr. Streiten…"

"Are you off your meds?"

"No!" Bethany said strongly. "I'm happy. What's wrong with that? Ask him, he saw me take them."

"Hi," Steve said, looking a little embarrassed. "Lack of sleep, three cups of coffee, a promotion and the world isn't ending. She took her medication, she's just excited."

"See?" Bethany said with a smirk, but starting to settle down. "Sorry, I haven't let myself break the façade of professionalism in a long time. I got a little out of hand. I'm cool now."

Dr. Streiten gave a small nod, studying her carefully. "You know SHIELD protocol. I can't approve you for field work unless you're mentally stable."

"I'm going on vacation anyways," Bethany told him. "I'm fine. Steve's right. Too much coffee."

"Excuse me, do you know where we can find a Doctor Erik Selvig?" A women's voice said as she turned the corner.

"He's almost done with his examination," Dr. Streiten announced. "I'll go check."

Bethany watched as two women looked around the hallway before one of them jumped and pointed at Bethany. "Hey! Jane it's the mp3 chick!"

"My lesser known alias," Bethany winked to Steve before standing up. "Darcy, right?"

"Yeah," Darcy nodded. "This is Jane."

"Foster, yeah." Bethany said nodding. "I've read your profiles. Bethany."

"We have SHIELD profiles?" Darcy asked as Bethany and Jane shook hands.

"It's not that big of a deal," Bethany assured. "About 80 percent of the world has a SHIELD profile. This is Steve."

Steve, who had stood up already, gave them a polite smiles. "Ladies."

"Hubba hubba," Darcy said as she shook Steve's outstretched hand. "Darcy Lewis."

"Pleasure, ma'am." Steve told her before shaking Jane's hand.

"Pleasure is all mine," Darcy said throwing him a smirk.

Bethany chuckled as Steve's cheeks reddened a little. "Here to pick up Selvig?"

"That and…" Jane started to trail off.

"She and the god of thunder had an impromptu make out sess before he left her in the middle of the New Mexico-"

Jane chuckled nervously, "Okay that's enough."

"Thor has already gone back to Asgard," Steve told Jane politely.

"Oh," Jane said a little defeated.

"Don't mind her," Darcy assured.

"He had to bring Loki back to Asgard," Bethany explained. "The sooner we got him off our planet the better."

"But no note? No nothing?" Jane asked.

"Sorry," Steve said. "I saw a coffee shop along the way. Can I get you ladies something?"

"Coffee please!" Darcy spoke up. "Double double. Jane'll take hers black."

"Better stick to a hot chocolate for me," Bethany said with a small smile.

Steve chuckled, "Okay, I'll be back soon. Just down the hall, right?"

Bethany nodded, "And to your left."

As he left, Darcy raised her eyebrows. "Where did you find that specimen and where can I get a piece? Although, his style is a little old school. Fits him well though."

Bethany gestured for the girls to sit. "He asked about you, if that helps…"

"Really?" Jane asked, looking a little more hopeful. "God, I never thought I'd be that girl. You know the one who's life stops just because of a guy. But I mean, one year and nothing?"

"Try 70 years and get back to me," Bethany said, earning two confused faces. "Never mind."

"How's Selivg?" Darcy asked. "I mean, we weren't really told anything."

"A lot of what happened is classified," Bethany explained. "But I have a feeling SHIELD will be making an official statement regarding what happened. Things are going to change now. Whether we want them to or not."

"How bad is the city?" Jane asked, pushing a piece hair behind her ear.

"It'll take a while to repair everything," Bethany responded. "A lot of people were hurt, some killed. Psychiatrists would be stupid not to move their practice here. There's going to be a _lot_ of damage control."

"What a funky world we be living in," Darcy said, looking at the wall.

* * *

><p><p>

Selvig's test results weren't as promising as Bethany's, but the doctors at SHIELD told them not to worry. They suggested testing Bethany again, but she told them that she had a lunch date. It was pretty late in the afternoon, but Steve was excited, and clearly so was Bethany.

She made him stop at the apartment so she could change out of her jeans and her teal leather jacket. Steve was sitting on the couch, looking at the notebook so tossed at him while she changed. He was thinking back to the last couple hours and all the references he didn't understand. There was an eagle guy. No, hawk-something that Coulson mentioned. He jotted down _Steven Hawk-something_ on the list, hoping Bethany would understand. And then there was the song Tony mentioned. Something about sorry ever after, so he wrote down _Sorry Ever After (song)?_

"Steve," she called from the bedroom. "Can you grab my purse on the table by the door please?"

"Yeah," he said standing up, shoving the notebook in his pocket and grabbing the black bag off the small table. "Can I come in?" He asked, walking towards the closed door.

"Yeah," she responded, voice muffled a little. Steve turned the knob and smiled at the sight before him.

"Having difficulty?" He asked walking closer to her, putting the bag on the vanity in front of her.

Her mouth was full of bobby pins as her fingers carefully braided at the back of her hair. She mumbled what sounded an awful lot like a 'yes'.

Steve took the bobby pins from her lips and put them back on the vanity. "Let me help," her said, taking the three divides of her wavy brown hair.

"I want it to fall over my shoulder," Bethany said as Steve noticed that she had successfully French braided her hair from the right side to the left.

"I like your dress," he said, taking in the flowy green, blue and yellow paisley material.

"You remember how Howard would always buy me dresses?" Bethany said, pushing a bobby pin in her hair in keep the waves in place.

Steve laughed. "I don't think you would have had a wardrobe if it wasn't for him."

"Yeah, well apparently when Tony was 14, Howard told him that he had to do the same thing."

"Done," he said, holding the end of the thick braid. Bethany quickly tied it off, then opened her purse and took out a nude coloured lip gloss.

"My first date in decades," she said closing the back. "How exciting. Let's take my car though, so my hair doesn't get all wind swept."

"You-you have a car?" Steve asked surprised. "How come this is the first I'm hearing this?"

She shrugged. "Never came up. Now let's go. If I'm hungry, you're starving."

As they left their apartment, they could hear Theo singing on the top of his lungs a song that made Steve groan. Bethany was unable to hold back her laughter as Theo came skipping down the hall.

_"WHO'S HERE TO PROVE THAT WE CANNNNNNN? THE STAR SPANGLED MAN WITH A PLANNNNN! _BETHANY!"

"What's up little man?" She asked as Theo threw himself into Bethany's arms. "Oh god, you're getting heavy."

"Theo!" Jen called where she was pulling a bunch of grocery bags up the stairs and into the hall.

Steve quickly jogged up to help Jen with the bags. "Bethany?" Theo asked, whispering into her ear.

"Yeah?" She whispered back.

"Is Steve Captain America?"

Bethany looked back where Steve was helping Jen. "Why don't you ask him yourself?"

Theo bit the side of his lip. "Do I have to?"

Bethany chuckled. "He's not going to be mad. Just go ahead."

"Steve?" Theo asked timidly as Jen opened the door and the four of them walked inside, Theo still in Bethany's arms.

"Yeah?" Steve responded as Jen thanked him.

"Are you Captain America?" Jen's gaze snapped to Steve, waiting for his response. Steve looked at Bethany for a second before giving Theo a small smile.

"Yeah, I am."

"Really?!" Theo said excitedly, wiggling out of Bethany's arms. "The original?"  
>"Uh," Steve let out, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah."<p>

"That would make you 90 years old," Jen said, not believing him.

"It's… a long story," Steve explained.

* * *

><p><p>

When Steve and Bethany finally escaped Jen's apartment, it was closer to dinner than lunch. "Well, that went well."

Bethany sighed, pressing her hand against her stomach as Steve pulled out of the driveway. "I'm surprised you told them everything."

"Not everything," Steve disagreed. "I didn't say anything about you."

"No," Bethany responded. "But I told Jen we used to date, and you _did_ tell her you just woke up two weeks ago."

"Oh," Steve said softly. "Beth, I-I'm sor-"

"Don't," she said tiredly. "Jen already knew I was hiding something from her."

"Think she'll go to the press?" Steve asked as the car stopped at a red light.

Bethany shook her head. "No. I trust her to keep quiet. Although, Theo will definitely be bragging to everyone that he knows Captain America."

"I figured there's no need to hide it," Steve explained.

"You wouldn't have been able to," Bethany agreed. "It's never been a mystery about your identity. I mean, you have books on you and your life- although they aren't that detailed. You changed a lot of people's lives, but almost no one knew about how you grew up."

"What about you?" He asked. "You going to come out as one of the people who saved the city?"

"No," she responded quickly. "I'm not ready for that. I've been content for years of people thinking I'm dead."

She reached over to the dash board and turned on the radio. _"A few times I've been around that track, so it's not just gonna happen like that, 'cause I ain't no hollaback girl."_

"Music now is so weird," Steve mumbled as Bethany pointed in the direction for him to turn in.

Bethany let out a small chuckle. "Weird, maybe. But very catchy."

* * *

><p><strong>**AN: So pretty anti-climatic chapter, but the _Avengers_ plot had to be wrapped up somehow. Next chapter will be full of fluff, flashbacks and vacation moments.**

**FeliciaFelicis: I'm still trying to get my head around the movie. I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. I'm going again on Tuesday with my littlest sister, and I can only imagine feeling the same way then. I saw it in AVXUltra IMAX 3D, which is basically as cool as a movie can get. Not only do you reserve your seat, but they are padded and recline. I was so comfy, I didn't want to move. Ever.**

**Kadienewberg: To be honest, I can see their kids too. They even have names… Whether or not they come is another question. I want them to have a happily ever after, but there's reasons why superheroes have a hard time getting that. Yes, IM3 and Thor 2 will be a part of the story. I can't see a way around them, seeing how Bethany is Tony's aunt, and will literally flip her shit. Thor 2 may have a smaller part, but it will definitely be mentioned. **

** Uhlhowl22: I absolutely LOVED writing Howard and Bethany, and miss it so much. Sure writing her with Tony is great, but there was something special, and so easy about writing her with Howard. Almost as if it was natural and meant to be. Thank you for your kind words. Hopefully I will be able to impress you further on!**

**Baratheons: Thank you so much for your review! It's really a confidence booster, and getting reviews like yours inspires me to write. I've brainstormed so many ideas about where to put Bethany in, but I think I've found the perfect place. Hopefully it'll all work out.**

**I have one more assignment due, and then I'm done school. Sure I have 5 exams, but they're spaced out pretty well. Hopefully you'll get another chapter by the end of the week. **

**xox**


	23. Chapter 23

****A/N: Hey guys, I'm so sorry that this took longer than usual. I have a great excuse for that. **

**Iwas at work last week and suffered a concussion. While that meant work compensation, a deferral of my exams and basically being able to sleep all day, it also meant no TV, no reading and no computer. So basically, I've spent the last couple days staring at the wall and playing cards with my littlest sister and brother. I'm still recovering, so if some of this doesn't make sense or is repetitive, cut me some slack. I wrote about 80% of this with SUNGLASSES on. **

**Nonetheless, the entire time I've been concussed, I've thought about what I was going to write next. Many (okay most) of the ideas have escaped my memory, something that apparently is normal with a concussion, but I'm hoping they'll come back soon. **

**BUT from the last update, there was something like 50+ new followers, and that has really been amazing to see. Most likely since everyone just saw _Winter Soldier_ and need more Steve in their life. Not to mention, a bunch of reviews that filled my heart with joy. Thank you everyone.**

Chapter 23

Sitting across from Bethany, watching her shove the tenth breadstick into her mouth, Steve realized that she was beautiful in so many different ways. There really was no one way that he preferred over the others, but each and every one made him smile and think about how lucky he really was.

There was the Bethany he fell in love with; the curly haired blond girl, lips painted red and body wrapped in the most fashionable, not to mention expensive, dresses. She looked like a lady, poised and perfect, her smile dazzling and personality blinding.

Then there was the Bethany with her curls in a ponytail, wearing a white blouse and men's pants with combat boots, her face covered in grease. Her beauty was more endearing like that, and realization of just how brilliant she was. Something that couldn't be seen when wearing a dress and heels. His favorite thing about this side of Bethany was the way her ponytail would swish from side to side as she worked.

A bare Bethany was a sight to see. Only images drawn on paper resembled her perfection. He was confident that no goddess had ever before been sculpted as perfectly as she was. Her skin pale, taunt and smooth, each curve rounded with care. Even when her hair was a tangled mess, her makeup smudged all over her face, she was still the ideal of perfection. And the way her lips parted when she was asleep always got to him.

Bethany today was no different. Sitting in front of him with her long brown hair in a thick braid, her makeup simple, but still stunning. The way her dress seemed to bring out the colour of her eyes, such a rare colour of green. Even when she wasn't dressed to impress, in her SHIELD uniform or even in her pyjamas. She was breathtaking in every way.

"What?" She said, mouth full of food.

Steve raised an eyebrow, throwing her a soft smirk before reaching out and brushing a crumb away from the side of her mouth. "Just thinking about how beautiful you are. Why did we never do this before?"

"Go out?" Bethany asked after swallowing. "We did."

"No, but just the two of us. We always went with other people."

She tilted her head to the side, thinking about it. "You're right. We never made it passed the front gates when it was just the two of us."

Steve ducked his head, realizing she was right. "We never really made it out of the bedroom when it was just you and me, did we?"  
>"No," she said thinking about it before picking up the last breadstick and taking a bite. "I'm not complaining though."<p>

Steve gave her a small smile in agreement. "Neither am I."

"Still, it'll be interesting to be like a real couple… that lives together, and shares a bed. It's like being married with none of the benefits," Bethany said. "Come to think of it, this sucks."

Steve chuckled as the waiter came up to them. "Another basket of breadsticks?" He asked politely. Despite the fact this was most likely his twentieth trip over, eight of which was for breadsticks alone.

"No, I think we're done," Steve answered quickly before Bethany could speak up. They had already had their appetizers, dinner and dessert, yet Bethany would not stop with the breadsticks. "Just the bill, please."

"Oh, no need," The waiter said, picking up the empty breadstick basket. "It's on the house tonight."

"Seriously?" Bethany asked after shoving the last of the bread into her mouth.

The waiter nodded. "Just as a general thanks for everything you've done."

As he walked away, Steve and Bethany casted anxious looks at each other. "What does he mean by that?" Bethany asked, already knowing the answer.

The two of them then turned their attention to the rest of the restaurant, many of the customers watching them carefully, each in awe. Bethany quickly stood up, Steve hot on their trail as they left. At the doors, there were dozens of cameras and reporters, waiting patiently to get what they could.

Steve quickly gave Bethany his sunglasses and leather jacket, pushing open the door and protecting her from the lenses of the cameras. Names, statements and questions were being thrown around as Steve pushed past them, Bethany hiding behind the jacket.

For the most part, the photographers let them by and into the car safely, but Steve didn't stop for a second while pulling the car out from the street and driving in a random direction. "Shit," Bethany mumbled, taking her phone out of her bag.

"Who are you calling?" He asked, switching lanes, checking the review mirror to see no one following them.

"Pepper, Tony's girlfriend," she answered. "She's really good with the pres- yeah, hi Pepper, it's Bethany."

_"Hi, Bethany. How are you?"_

"Panicking, a little," Bethany admitted. "Steve and I were out for dinner and as we were leaving, we were hounded by press. Can you see what's trending in the world for me? I need to know if my face has made it on the web."

_"Sure thing," _Pepper answered. _"Why don't you stop by the Tower and we can go through it together?"_

Bethany sighed, "Yeah that sounds good. See you then. Turn left," Bethany instructed as she hung up.

"Where are we going?" Steve asked, following her directions.

"Back to the Tower," Bethany explained. "If there's anyone who knows damage control better than SHIELD, it's Pepper Potts."

* * *

><p>After fighting through some pretty serious traffic and waiting almost half an hour for Tony to move to the perimeter and let Bethany and Steve into the squadron, it was past nightfall. Bethany showed no indication of being ready for bed yet, on her toes about the recent turn of events.<p>

"Drink?" Tony asked Steve, who took the offered beverage.

"It's only been your profile," Pepper said, flipping through the images JARVIS had thrown onto the screen. "People haven't made the connection to your old life."

"Yet," Bethany pointed out, still on edge. "It's only a matter of time. Damn it!"

"After yesterday, would it be so bad?" Tony asked, taking a sip. "The world is _painfully_ aware of the fact that nothing is as it seems."

"I don't want people to _know_ I can cut off my toes and have them regrow," Bethany explained. "Plus, I'm a spy. If my identity is compromised, I'm screwed."

"Let's just take this one day at a time," Pepper suggested. "As of now, they haven't figured out who you are. They're assuming you're one of the Avengers, and that you and Steve are in a relationship. That's all."

"That's a lot," Bethany countered. "And I'm not an Avenger. I was there because everyone I love and care about was there. I don't want any affiliation with this. I'm supposed to be dead, remember?"

"If things were that simple," Tony started, pouring some more brandy for himself. "Then Steve and I would both be dead too. Science and innovation has kept us all alive."

"You're both public icons, though. Me? I'm supposed to be on the down low. Move around every couple of months."

"There was a time when you were in magazines," Steve pointed out. "Newspapers. You were known."

"As Howard Stark's little sister, yeah." Bethany explained. "Who died in a tragic plane crash _years_ ago. And suddenly she's alive and well, and oh _hey_ hasn't aged a day?"

"You're not going to let this go, are you?" Steve asked, moving towards her, taking her hand.

"I _like_ being able to go to the park without people staring. I _like_ having privacy."

Tony scoffed. "Even if they don't connect your face and name, you aren't getting privacy anymore. Not while you're dating the Sentinel of Liberty."

"He's right," Steve admitted. "And it can't be that bad."

"You're new to the 21st century," Bethany reminded him. "You don't know how bad it can be."

"Beth," Steve said sighing, holding her hand tightly. "I would rather people know who you are and what you're capable of and _not_ messing with you then ever taking the chances."

"He's right," Tony agreed. "He may be a boy scout, but there's without a doubt a lot of people who want to make him suffer. They'll go after his weak spot; you. _But_ if they know about who you are-"

"Either way I'll be fine," Bethany interrupted. "I can't get hurt, remember? Can't die. Which is part of the problem."

Her hand slipping from Steve's grip, she left the room. Steve stood there momentarily, pushing his hands into his pockets. "She's afraid of change," Pepper said quietly. "She's been in a constant state of not moving forward. Suddenly, people want to take away her anonymity and that scares her."

"What worries me the most is what to expect from her," Steve admitted. "We've always lived in the present. We never talked about the future since we never knew if there would be one. All I want, all I've ever wanted with her was just to build a life. Now I don't know if I can get that since she's stuck in the now. It's clear she doesn't want things to change, but they do. They are going to."

"Sounds like something you should talk to her about," Pepper suggested. "She may be impossible to talk to sometimes, a Stark gene without a doubt, but she deserves to be happy. And even if she doesn't know it, this would make her happy. Living her life would make her happy."

"Science made her this way," Tony spoke up, putting his glass down. "Science can fix her."

"You suggesting finding a way to reverse the serum in her blood?" Steve asked, crossing his arms. "I don't want to risk her getting hurt."

"Those files I broke into at SHIELD," Tony began. "They've been trying to replicate it for years. She gives them blood samples, and they test on it. Try to break it apart and see what makes it work. If they figure out how to replicate it, theoretically they should be able to undo it. JARVIS, can you let Banner know I need him?"

_"Certainly, sir_."

"Banner?" Steve asked, leaning up against the bar.

"He's probably the most qualified out of us all to determine if my hypothesis is correct, which it generally is."

"Oh great," Pepper moaned, gathering Tony and Steve's attention. "_The Kiristen White Tonight Show_ is doing a segment on her."

"Turn it up," Tony commanded to JARVIS, the talk show taking full presence.

_"It has been confirmed by an unknown source that the unidentified brunette girl fighting in yesterday's proceedings of the attack on New York is the very same girl who was out with Steve Rogers, also known as Captain America- who, can we all agree ladies, looks amazing for his age?_

_ "Sources at the restaurant claim the two looked very close. I mean, look at some of these photos: hand holding, goofy smiles. Do they, or do they not look like two people very much in love?" _The audience cheered as pictures of their night at the restaurant and some of the battle yesterday were shown. Steve shoved his hands in his pockets, knowing full well that this was the last thing Bethany wanted. She didn't even want Jen to know about her secret, but now it was close to the entire world.

_"We still don't know who she is, but every girl in this world definitely wants to be her. Not just her association with a team of heroes- attractive ones at that, but she's probably one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen, am I right?_" Another outbreak of applause was met as the talk show host smiled. _"Move over Brangelina! There's a new super couple in town- literally!"_

"You wanted to see me?" Bruce said, coming into the news. "Oh, hi Steve."

"Do you think there's a way to reverse the effects of the serum in Bethany's blood?" Steve asked, getting to the point.

Bruce took off his glasses, cleaning them on the edge of his shirt. "Undoing that would be like undoing either one of us. I've tried for years, with no success, but I wouldn't rule it out. There's something about her blood stream or cells that lets her heal, but not others. I'd have to look into it."

"But it's possible?" Pepper clarified.

"It's probable," Bruce corrected.

"The real question is, would Bethany let herself be subjected to it," Tony stated. "She loves her job. Her healing makes it easier for her to do it. I mean, Steve. Would you trust her to work for SHIELD if she couldn't heal?"

"No," Steve said almost instantly. "If she couldn't heal, I wouldn't want to risk her getting hurt."

"Ultimately," Pepper spoke up. "It's up to Bethany. No one here can make any decisions for her, but herself. And she's made it clear that as of right now, she doesn't want the world to know her identity. We should respect that, and help her do the simplest of tasks such as getting home without there being a mob chasing her."

_"Sir,_" JARVIS' voice rang clear. _"Sorry for the intrusion, but Agents Romanoff and Barton are in the building and are currently making it up to the ninth floor."_

"Umm, why?" Tony asked, taking one more sip of his drink before striding to the elevator, the rest of the group on his tail.

_"Miss. Stark is in one of the labs," _JARVIS explained. _"She called them approximately eight minutes ago requiring their assistance."_

* * *

><p>"This is a stupid idea," Tony said stubbornly.<p>

"This is a brilliant idea," Natasha corrected. "You can barely notice that it's her. It's enough to get her back to her apartment unnoticed, especially considering Fury reported that as of five minutes ago, the entrance was swarmed with reporters. One of the neighbours made a call that they had seen Bethany and Steve in the building over the last couple of weeks."

"Yeah, and they don't know what she looks like," Clint reminded him. "They'll look right over her."

"It's just temporary," Bethany said, pulling on the edges of her sleeves.

"You look like a fifteen year old babysitter," Tony dished out.

"Good, 'cause that's my cover story," Bethany explained, taking off the circled glasses and then putting them back on. "My neighbour Jen called and said that our upstairs neighbour, who I've never met, asked her all she could about Steve and I. She didn't tell him anything, but he called the press anyways. I'm gonna go to her apartment as a cover up."  
>"You could always just strut out on the streets and say 'WORLD, I am Bethany Elizabeth Stark, sister of Howard Stark and I'm better than all of you because I'm immortal.'" Tony supplied.<p>

"Your middle name is Elizabeth?" Steve asked, reaching out and playing with the edge of her hair. She had cut it to be just a little bit passed her shoulders, and with blunt bangs. It was a whole 'nother look altogether, and while Tony was right, she looked years younger, she still was beautiful.

"Were your parents aware that your first and middle name have 'Beth' in them?" Clint asked, chuckling.

"Shut up," Bethany threw back, looking in the mirror one last time. Her lips were painted a serious red colour, but was the only makeup she was wearing. On her new haircut head, she had a black beanie on it, adding to the impression of a babysitting teenager. "Natasha will drive me to the subway station where I will then get home through that. Steve will go on ahead to the apartment. They already know who you are, you might as well be there to greet them and tell them to get the hell away from you."

"Or something a little nicer," Pepper suggested. "Simply ask for your privacy as you try to adjust to the new world."

Steve nodded, "And then what? What if they don't leave?"

"Doesn't matter," Bethany said, tugging on the end of her jean jacket which was on top of a grey hoodie. "Tomorrow morning, we leave for Ireland. SHIELD has some safe houses there that we can use to vacation in. It's perfect. By the time we come back, the apartment will be packed up and we'll move into a new one in DC."

"So that's it?" Steve said. "We just move?"

"We were going to anyways," Bethany reminded him, taking out her new phone, curtsy of Stark Industries. "We'll be closer to the Triskelion, which is SHIELD's HQ _of_ HQs. It'll be easier to live there."

Steve sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Whatever makes you happy, Beth. But what about Jen and Theo?"

"I'll take care of it," Bethany said quietly, looking at her phone. "I knew this day was coming. It's been too long, I _need_ to move on. That's what life is like for me."

"You should probably head out," Clint said to Steve. "Get a good head start. You know how to get back to Brooklyn, right?"

Steve nodded, "I'll see you soon," he told Bethany, lightly grabbing her wrist. "I still think this is excessive and overdramatic-"

"If it wasn't, it wouldn't be me, now would it?" Bethany teased with a small smile before pulling him in for a quick kiss.

As the room cleared out, Banner took a hold of Bethany's arm. "I know what it's like."

"Excuse me?" She asked, not understanding him at all.

"Bethany, I see the way Steve looks at you, and more importantly the way _you_ look at him. If we all lived a normal life, you two would be half way on your way to getting married and starting a family. Everyone can see it, which is why the press is on you."

"There's more important things than who Captain America is dating," Bethany fought back.

"Yeah, but what have people always done in times of tragedy? Looked for something positive to focus on. Isn't that why _Disney _films were so popular? They were upbeat and hopeful. People wanted that in order to shy away from reality."

Bethany sighed, knowing he was right. Hell, she had once said the same thing to Howard. _It instills hope or something. Brings back happy memories. _"I see your point."

"They _should_ leave you alone," Banner continued. "I'm not justifying their reactions. All I'm saying is, I know what it's like to _want_ something but know your life doesn't accommodate it. I mean, I used to want a wife and kids. Now, I don't think that's a possibility. I don't want to risk it. Not with the other guy."

Bethany gave him a sympathetic smile. "Yeah, I guess you'd understand more than most."

"It's not impossible though," Bruce told her. "If you can access your medical files, together we can look into undoing the process. Then you could age and live life again. Because even if you didn't deserve this, and you _do_, don't think otherwise, _he_ deserves this. It's unfair to take that away from him. From both of you."

"Thanks Bruce," Bethany responded, putting a hand on his shoulder. "That means a lot."

"Then we'll look into it?"

"There's nothing in this world that I'd like more," she said with a small smile. "Just… don't tell Steve. I don't want to get his hopes crushed. I can't see his heartbroken face ever again. It haunts me."

Bruce chuckled slightly. "Deal."

* * *

><p>From a block away, Bethany could see the group of reporters waiting outside her apartment building. Really, it disgusted her. Clint and Natasha had kept a lower profile throughout the day then she and Steve did, clearly an advantage. And Tony was already famous and people basically knew everything about him. No one knew what the Hulk looked like in normal form, so Bruce, who was currently hiding out in Stark Tower, was safe. Thor, the lucky bastard, was on another world.<p>

That left the two most vulnerable people to be the focus. Steve, who didn't know squat about how serious of an issue this could be if her face made it on _US Weekly,_ or if _E! _tried to get her to sign onto a reality show, was casting a lot of questions by himself. If it was really him, how he survived, what his plans were now… on and on. With or without her, a huge public interest would be casted his way. He was an American Hero. He didn't just play one in a movie, he was the real deal.

Checking a fake twitter she set up, she read message after message regarding her and Steve's date. It helped to know that a lot of people thought they should leave Steve and Bethany alone. _They just saved the world, let them enjoy dinner. Geesh. #CapsSecretGal _one read. Another read _They deserve privacy more than anyone. #BattleofNewYork #Avengers._

And within just a couple hours, news of a love triangle broke through. The most disturbing part of it all was that it was between Steve, Bethany and _Tony_. Apparently pictures of when Tony fell from the wormhole and Bethany's reaction towards his still body made the web.

"Umm, excuse me?" She said one of the reporters timidly as she reached her street. "What's going on here? Is someone hurt?"

She couldn't remember the last time she used this tone of voice, so innocent and naïve. Years, really, back when girls were expected to be that, and when Bethany believed that she should be. "Nah, we're waitin' to catch a glimpse of Capt'n America's girl. You live here? Maybe you 'ave the scoop?"

"Me?" She asked, raising a finger to her chest. "No, I'm just babysitting someone in the building. I haven't been around for weeks."

"Ah too bad," the guy said. "Cap came back a little while 'go, all by himself. Sources say it's _her_ apartment though."

"Well, sorry, I-I don't know anyone in the building except my employer, and she's blond. The girl has brunette hair, right?"

"Yeah, and a _smokin' _body," The reporter said, not giving Bethany's body a second glance. It made her roll her eyes slightly at how blind people could be. "Well if you see anythin', wanna give us a call?" He asked, taking out a business card. "We'll triple your babysitting earnings."

Bethany looked at the card once before handing it back, "No offense, but shouldn't you just let them be? Maybe they're not ready to come out as a couple."

The guy looked shocked, but took back the card. "The people want'a know who to thank."

"Maybe they don't want to be thanked," Bethany tried. "Maybe they just want to live their lives and forget about everything. I mean, doesn't everyone? Now, I need to get through. If I'm late, I get docked an hour."

She pushed through the crowds, leaving the man standing there shocked. After some trouble, she finally made her way into the building, where a lot of tenants were standing in the stairway, waiting for their mysterious neighbour's return, no doubt. She just walked passed them and up to Jen's apartment.

* * *

><p>"Wow-I just… wow," Was Jen's response after Bethany came clean about her life. "All this time, I thought you just had a love for history."<p>

"No," Bethany said chuckling. "I've been there. I've witnessed a lot of them. Huge attacks on political figures? Usually I was present in some way or another."

"And you and Steve," Jen continued. "You two have _really _been through everything."

"Almost," Bethany agreed. "But something we've learned is we're better working on the same side than not."

"See, the past couple weeks I was jealous of your relationship with Steve. It seemed so easy and simple. Just like they are in the movies. But you two have really been through some tough things."

"Look, I wanted to tell you because I realized that you're the only person outside work and family I actually talk to. And Theo… well Theo is one of the reasons I've been happy the last couple of years. And maybe I didn't seem that way, but I was. I felt like I had a purpose, and was needed. It was nice. I just wanted to tell you that before I left."

"Left?" Jen said, alarmed. "You say that as if you're never coming back."

Bethany shook her head. "Visits, definitely. And I'm not stupid, I know eventually my secret will break out. People will find out about me, but until then, I have to continue to live like I have. It's time for me to move on. Start a new life."

"It's not going to be normal," Jen reminded her. "You're dating Captain America. And with the way you two are, I hear wedding bells and lullabies in your future."

"I wanna take it slow," Bethany explained. "And the last thing I need, the last thing _we_ need is for people to be watching our every move. I understand that as long as I'm with Steve, I'm going to have to get used to public attention, but it doesn't have to be for me. Just as his girlfriend, I could probably handle. Some fangirls would know who I am, but the general public wouldn't. If I come clean as one of the saviours of the city… As Tony's Stark's _aunt…"_

"You know what I think?" Jen said, moving forward a little. "I think you need this change in your life. Embrace it. I know it's scary, but you could very well put your relationship with Steve on the line if you continue to sneak around and let him take the brunt of the public."

Bethany sighed, raking a hand through her newly short hair. "I know. I just don't want to accept that."

"This _will_ die down," Jen assured. "Remember how big_ Rocky _was? Now that it's over and out of the spotlight, people aren't as interested."

"Those movies are classics," Bethany argued. "But I get what you mean. Sylvester Stallone's life isn't constantly on display."

"Exactly," Jen said standing up. "Now go back to your apartment, talk to that gorgeous man of yours and figure this out. And while I understand that you have to move, you can't just disappear from mine and Theo's lives. Not now. Especially not after I watched your devil cat for you."

"She's an angel," Bethany responded with a smirk. "She just _really_ hates you."

"Yeah, well when Steve asked me to watch her, I couldn't say no to the frazzled look on his face."

Bethany stood up from her spot and made her way to the door. "We'll stop by tomorrow before we leave."

"You make sure you do that," Jen insisted, as they exchanged their goodbyes.

Bethany quickly crossed the hall and into her apartment. Steve was sitting on the couch, watching the news on TV. "Anything interesting?"

"Not particularly," Steve said as she flopped beside him. "All about yesterday's attack."

"Wait," Bethany asked, curling up next to him. "Are they… blaming us?"

"Looks that way," Steve sighed. "Although that's one theory."

Bethany scoffed. "Next time, remind me to let the selfish bastards die. We can all go somewhere safe and wait until they beg for us to help."

"You're not going to do that," Steve answered, clearly tired.

"Can I watch _Fashion Police_?" She asked, lying her head against his shoulder. His response in return was handing her the remote.

"When do we leave tomorrow?" Steve questioned, his fingers soothingly moving up and down her arm.

She hummed in response to his movements. "Clint is picking me up at 10, Natasha you at 11. Just as a precaution. Hey, Steve?"

"Yeah?" He asked, his eyes closed, head reclined slightly.

"Are you mad at me?"

He opened his eyes a tad, brows furrowed. "No. Why, is there a reason I should be?"

"I'm not embarrassed for people to know I'm with you," she answered. "That's not it at all. You know that right? And I _guess_ I'm overreacting a little. There's no way that my identity won't come out one way or another."

"What are you saying exactly?" Steve asked, leaning his forehead against hers.

"I'm saying," she continued, sighing heavily. "Look, I'm saying it's time I let the world know me for who I am. But give me a month to prepare myself. Then I'll call a press conference at Stark Industries and tell people who I am. I won't say I work for SHIELD or anything. Just that I'm Bethany Stark, Howard Stark's little sister, and I'm immortal. I'm not a superhero, or even remotely close to anything like that. All I am is someone who didn't want to see the people she loved get hurt, while dishing out some heavy revenge on a certain demi-god."

Steve chuckled at the last part. "Are you sure?"

"No," she admitted. "But I _do_ know that it's time for me to decide who I am. And I don't want to be Agent Stark for the rest of my life. I need to become more than that. Yeah, I'll still work for SHIELD. Right now in my life, I couldn't leave it. Not only do I need them, but they need _me_. But in order for me to _be_ me, I need to let the world see me. Does that make sense?"

"I understand," Steve assured. "I'll be with you. Every step of the way."

Bethany leaned up, pressing her lips against his. She could taste the sweet garlic from the breadsticks, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding him closer. "I love you. I love you so much."

He smiled against her kiss, pushing her down lightly to hover over her. "I love hearing you say that."

Steve's hand cupped the side of her hip, thumb touching her bare skin where her shirt rode up slightly. His body was resting casually on hers, Bethany's foot moving up and down his leg. The kiss deepened and Bethany could feel her body slowly catching on fire, that tank of kerosene in her stomach coming to life.

"You know what I hate though?" She asked as Steve's lips dragged down to her neck. He hummed against it, resulting in the desire to squeeze her legs together tightly. "I hate being celibate."

Steve chuckled against her skin, nipping it twice. "Need me to stop?"

"I don't _want_ you to," she whined. "But I don't want to risk having a miniature Rogers crying in the dead of night nine months from now."

Steve brought his head up, staring into her wide green eyes, clearly filled to the brim with lust. "Not that it wouldn't be great."

"No," Bethany agreed, shifting on the couch so Steve could lie beside her. "I've given it thought before. Having kids. It always seemed impossible. I want kids," she assured heavily, hand resting against his heart. "But not now. You understand that, right?"

"We're not in a good place," Steve answered in agreement. "We've just rekindled our relationship and are trying to figure out how we fit into this new world. We need to settle into both of those categories comfortably before we include someone else to this."

"Someone who's innocent," Bethany added. "Think about it Steve. People will know who you are. Yeah, I can hold my own, but a baby can't. There's just so much to think-"

He shushed her softly. "We don't have to worry about that now," Steve reminded her. "And I'll keep you safe. Both of you. That would be my number one priority. Beth? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she mumbled, but was clearly lying. After a heartbeat, she sighed. "Steve, I don't want to be like this forever. If we have kids, I want to grow old with them. With _you_. I can't watch more people in my life grow up and not be able to share-"

"I know," Steve said, kissing the top of her head. "That's been on my mind. Evidently Tony and Banner's too."

"I'm just scared that I'm going to be left behind again," she admitted timidly.

Steve took in her appearance. Her gaze was on the television screen, but her eyes glazed over. She had a far off look on her face, and was clearly holding back the beginnings of tears. She looked so young, especially with her clothes and haircut, and Steve wanted nothing more than to protect her more than he ever had before. She didn't look like the 'big bad SHIELD agent' he knew she was. She didn't look like anything more than someone who had lived a life that stripped her of more joy than should be possible.

He knew what it was like to be left behind. Both of his parents dying, the last kid picked-if he was picked at all- for school yard games, the failed enlistment attempts and when Bucky went off to war. He knew what it was like to see everyone succeed, to do something they wanted, get what they dreamed and to be stuck in the back, watching as his own dreams were dangled in front of him, never falling down an inch.

It was just another way that they were alike. Sure, they led _very_ different lives, but their paths led them to that exact position, both still fighting off demons of being left alone again. But this time, now, they had each other. They wouldn't be left alone if they were together.

"I'm not going to let that happen," he whispered into her ear. "Ten years from now, we'll be sittin' on a porch, watching as our kids play on the lawn. The boys gaining up on the girl, but then giving in and showing her how to throw the ball. We'll be worried not about the next mission, or the end of the world but how we're going to get her to dance class, the oldest son to baseball while the other has a birthday party."

"Keep going," Bethany said with a small smile gracing her face, turning her body to face his.

"You'll complain about getting wrinkles, when in all actuality, you won't have them. You'll be aging gracefully, like no one ever has. You won't be scared, or afraid. Nothing but happy. And you won't be exhausted from working and taking care of the kids, 'cause I'll make sure to help you. I'll clean the dishes while you pack their lunches. You'll help them with math and science homework, and I'll do the rest. Then, at night, we'll tuck them in together, reading them our favorite childhood stories, and making sure they actually brushed their teeth, not just ran the toothbrush under the water. And when the lights are out, we'll sneak away to our room, and just hold each other."

Bethany's breath hitched, "That sounds like the best dream anyone could ever conjure up."

"It's no dream," Steve replied. "It's going to be reality."

* * *

><p><strong>**AN: Just a filler chapter with a pinch of fluff.**

**Kadienewberg: I love writing the 5 of them as well, which is why they'll be lots of flashbacks throughout the chapters. As for the Steve/Natasha ship, while they have their moments, I can't see them as a couple, so any of their parts will be glazed over or rewritten. We'll see when I get there. **

**BellaDamonLover: I'm gonna try and explain where Hawkeye is during the movie, but I have a feeling it'll be explained in _Age of Ultron_.**

**Yeah, I reread some of the first chapters and saw that Bethany was so full of life and didn't give a damn what people thought about her, and she seemed to lean towards following orders as the story progressed. I wanna bring her back to her old self. **

**FeliciaFelicis: I'm happy the shout out made your day, since you always make mine. Yeah, after I saw _Winter Soldier_, I decided that Bethany either needed to distance herself from SHIELD or emerge herself all together. I chose the latter, and I hope I picked the right side. **

**As for the Peggy moment; I couldn't cry. Yeah, I cried days later thinking about it, but in the theatre at the time I was like '…I knew that was going to happen. Why didn't I prepare myself for that? WHY WHY WHY?' **

**Guest: Haha, good to know I'm not the only one who binge reads when they ought to be doing more important things. Don't forget to get lots of sleep, and don't fail out of school on my accord! I've learned to stock up my fanfic readings and read when I'm done whatever I have to do. It makes it so much better.**

**MusicalLover17: I have no intention on quitting, so sit back, relax and enjoy the updates :-) ****  
><strong>

**Deathzealot: I've written and rewritten that scene about 10 times. I'm still trying to make it perfect. It'll come eventually, but when I feel confident in it. **

**Ninjawolf: Thank you so much!**** Hopefully I can continue on this path.**

**shika93: Thank you for your MANY reviews! They all made me smile. **


	24. Chapter 24

****A/N: So some… M rated material to start off the chapter. You've been warned. **

Chapter 24

Steve was always an early riser. Sleeping in wasn't a luxury he was ever provided, so even when he was allowed to stay in the bed a couple more hours, he was up and about. Bethany, however, would stay up all night and sleep all day. She had always been like that, and evidently, wouldn't change.

As the sun's rays slowly crept through the crack of the blinds, Steve decided he wanted a quick jog to start the day off. He took one look at Bethany to determine how fast asleep she was before making his move. She was sleeping on one side, almost curled into a ball. One hand was wedged in between her legs, the other ghosting her neck. Her lips were parted slightly, but she wasn't fast asleep.

Her breathing was a little heavier than normal, and he didn't miss the slight furrow of her eyebrows. "Bethany?" He said quietly, not completely _wanting_ to wake her up, but not sure if she was in need of it. Her response was a pleasured moan, his name slipping through her lips.

Steve couldn't help but chuckle. At first he had been afraid she was having another nightmare, but it was nothing more than a dream. Which apparently included him. "Bethany?" he tried again, laying a hand on her shoulder. Her response this time was her eyes fluttering open, a look of disappointment on her face.

"Nooooooo, why'd you wake me?" She complained, hiding her face in her pillow. "It was so _good_."

Another chuckle escaped him, taking a hold of her shoulder and pulling it so she laid flat on her back. "You're right, I'm sorry. You wanna talk about it?"

She didn't miss the suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows as he laid a hand on her lower stomach. "Even in my dreams you are a cruel, _cruel_ man, Captain."

"Oh, and what did I do this time?" He asked with a smirk, lowering his hand, resting on the elastic waistband of her shorts.

He could see her swallow hard, almost holding back her whimper. "Such a tease…" she mumbled. "You leave a girl frustrated. Your stupid rock hard abs."

This time, Steve didn't let his chuckle stay quiet. It echoed through the room as she pouted. "Well, I'm sorry ma'am. I wasn't aware of your… fragile state."

She playfully hit him at his words. "Curse your super sperm. Why couldn't you still be Skinny Steve, and then this wouldn't be a problem?"

"'Cause Skinny Steve didn't have rock hard abs," Steve told her with a smirk before pulling the blankets away from her.

"Hey!" She protested.

"Relax," he told her quietly, leaning in to place a kiss on her forehead. "There are other ways to solve your current state." Her breath hitched as he moved down the bed and settled by her legs. He pulled her pants off her legs, exposing her to him. She quickly shimmied out of her top and tossed it to Steve.

"I just cleaned the sheets," she explained. Steve shook his head in amusement before putting it under her to protect her white sheets. He wasn't going to complain though as she laid completely naked, waiting for his move.

His fingers traced up and down her legs softly, watching the reactions this alone was creating. Her head resting at the side, eyes closed and a slight smile of anticipation on her face. Her back was arched a little as well, her rose nipples perked.

She hissed quietly as his fingers ghosted over her mound, barely touching her. Nonetheless, he could feel how wet she was from her dream alone. "Stop being a tease," she moaned as he repeated his motions.

"Sorry," he replied before lying down on his stomach. "But we're taking this slow and sweet."

"I won't last long," Bethany told him. "The sooner you finish me the sooner I can start yo- Ohhh."

His lips had made contact with the inside of her leg, making its way up to her center, smelling so sweet, feeling so hot and pooling with slickness. "You were saying?" He mumbled before he softly laid a kiss on her folds.

"Best. Alarm. Clock. Ever," Bethany declared in between pants as Steve's hands ran up and down the sides of her legs, his mouth moving slowly against her, sucking gently and only occasionally letting his tongue taste her.

This was always something Steve was apprehensive about. When Bucky suggested the position to him, he immediately was baffled. It didn't seem like something that would be remotely attractive to him. But one night, as Bethany laid naked on his bed, sketching some plans for some weapon Howard wanted to develop, his fingers moved across her mound, and it all connected. Bethany, as she always was, was patient and instructive. He wouldn't call himself an expert on oral, but Bethany seemed appreciative enough. She never complained, and was always ready to return the favor.

"Steveeeee," she whined, growing inpatient. "Seventy years."

He looked up at her from his place, her hands cupping her breasts. She looked frazzled, completely unhinged from reality. "Then you should appreciate me going slow," Steve teased, yet laid an extremely passionate kiss against her clit.

Steve could feel her legs tighten, that beautiful whimper of hers falling from her lips. "You are the devil incarnate." Bethany decided, pushing her hips against his lips.

Taking a finger and running it up and down her folds, he slowly pushed it into her. Bethany in response let out a long and deep moan in appreciation. "So tight," Steve noticed, moving his finger out and back in slowly, moving his thumb to circle her bundle of nerves.

"Seventy. Years," she reminded him. "No sexual partners. No sex toys. Just me. And my fingers are smaller than yours."

"That's an understatement," Steve told her, moving his kisses up her body and towards her breasts. "You have the same size fingers as a kid."

She tangled her fingers in his hair and used her leverage to guide his lips to her mouth. "No more talking," she stated, breathing increasing as Steve's motions speed up.

"Sure thing, doll face," Steve said before taking her bottom lip in his.

It was a slightly awkward position, but neither cared as they made love the only way they could now. Their tongues touched, battling each other, but both letting the other explore. Steve pushed another finger in, Bethany's fingers moving to his shoulders where she dug her nails into his skin.

"Say it," Steve mumbled against her lips, moving his head down to the crook of her neck. He could feel her getting close, and was grateful since his erection was reaching a point where it couldn't be ignored for much longer.

"I love you," she let out in between gasps, his fingers curling against her momentarily before a third finger was added. She could feel the fire spread throughout her body, moving towards every little part. She could feel pleasure in her baby toes, finger tips, up to the top of her skull. "So-ah, so close," she cried as Steve sucked against the sweet spot of her neck. "Say it," she turned on him. "I nee-need to here you say i-ohhh."

"I love you," Steve mumbled against her skin as her body began to shake. The pleasure built tighter and tighter to the point where it finally erupted, Bethany clinging onto Steve for dear life as the waves washed over her, soothing and filling with so much emotion. Steve's fingers slowed as she fell from her high, a look of eternal peace on her face.

"Forgive me for waking you up?" Steve asked as his fingers slipped from her. She immediately crossed her legs, not enjoying the feeling of being empty.

She hummed, taking his hand by the wrist. Bethany took one finger into her mouth, tasting her sweet arousal. "I guess so."

Steve scoffed, but couldn't hold back his smile as she took another of his digits in her mouth. "You insatiable girl."

"Be nice," Bethany said as she pushed him on his back. "Or they'll be no reciprocation."

* * *

><p><p>

After a blowjob, that Steve could safely say was the _best_ he'd ever received, Bethany fell back to sleep. Her body was still bare, so he pulled the blankets over her body before he went to take a shower. He no longer felt the need to take a jog. Sex, of any kind, was the perfect way to work off some spare energy.

As he stepped under the water and stretched his body, he winced at the slightly bruised area on his stomach. It had been the most severe of his injuries, and was healing nicely. But it was still tender. Steve knew to be grateful, however. Something like this as a child would have kept him in bed for at _least_ a month.

Being bigger, stronger, faster… all of that, he knew to be grateful for. It helped him get the job done, a job that he did because he knew it was what was right. Sure, part of him hoped that his new physique would help him attract more girls, but that was only a side note. He didn't care about that too much. Not when everyone was going off to war, and he was what seemed like the only one who wasn't.

But even with the height and muscles, Steve was self-conscious. Espeically with Bethany. He wondered more than was healthy whether she would have fallen for him if he was still the skinny version of himself. He wanted to believe that she would, but the idea seemed far-fetched. She wasn't shallow. She knew she was beautiful, but never used it as a way to get what she wanted. No, she was logical, and used her brain to fulfill her needs. Yeah, sometimes she used her feminine wiles, but not in a way other women wouldn't. She never turned her nose up at him when he was still skinny.

Placing his forehead against the cool tile of the shower, he took in a deep breath. They didn't talk much during that time, but she always casted him friendly smiles. Whenever she was talking to a group of them, her voice always became calmer when looking at him. And when she was jotting notes regarding his health down at the training camp, he never felt the need to be embarrassed. She made him feel comfortable, even then.

_"Ladies," Bethany smirked as she took her place on a wood box. "I see Agent Carter has worked you into shape. Which is fortune for me, as I will be taking some medical notes for Dr. Erskine this afternoon on your state. Some recruitment offices round the numbers, and he wants to make sure he gets every detail exact. Height, weight, length of arms and legs, as well as your blood pressure and heart beat before and after exertion."_

_ "What kinda exertion you have in mind, sweeth'art?" Hodge asked in his usual tone. "'Cause I have something special in mind."_

_ Bethany rolled her eyes. "Mr. Hodge, do I look like a farmer?"_

_ "Huh?" _

_ "I said, do I look like a farmer," she repeated. Hodge looked confused but shook his head. "Then why do you insist on acting like a _pig_ in my presence?"_

_ A couple of the men snickered, Steve included. "Well, you ain't no lady," Hodge retorted, looking smug with himself. _

_ The room went silent as the soldiers waited for Bethany's reaction, who did not looked fazed at all. "And you, Mr. Hodge, are no gentleman."_

_ "What a match we make," He said with a wink. "And I bet you like your men big. And I bet you like it rough."_

_ Bethany scoffed, hopping off the block. "I don't know who raised you, but talking to a woman like that does not make her desire a man any more. In fact, the qualities a woman looks for is exactly identical to the ones Dr. Erskine is searching for. Not necessarily the physical aspects, but…" her eyes were drawn to Steve, a small smile tugging at her lips. "What's on the inside. Sure, I can't lie and say that women aren't attracted to handsome men, but at the end of the day, when she wakes up from a nightmare, she wants a loving heart, and a caring soul to comfort her. You'll do well to remember that boys."_

Steve slowly got out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. Moving up to the mirror, he wiped the fog off of it and studied himself. Rubbing the side of his face, a slight prickle meeting his fingers, he took out his razor blade and cream and began his ritual.

He took his time, continually thinking back to Bethany's words. Her previous admittance that she found him handsome even as a 95 pound man was reassuring, but it was hard to convince himself of this. "So remind me never to get bangs again," he heard as Bethany, in his plaid blue shirt, opened the bathroom door and leaned against the doorframe.

He smirked slightly as he noticed her messy fringe. "It's not that bad."

"Yes," Bethany argued. "It i- Hey, are you okay?"

Steve, finished shaving, took a towel off the railing and wiped his face. "Huh?"

"You seem… I don't know, a little out of it. Like there's something on your mind," Bethany said, walking closer to him and putting a reassuring hand on his arm.

"_How_ can you possible know that from your 30 seconds of being in the room?" Steve asked, turning to face her, placing his hands on her hips as her hands snaked up his body and around his shoulders.

"I'm intuitive, remember?" She said, cocking her head to the side. Steve gave a small chuckle at the reminder of their first real conversation, yet no smile reached his eyes. "Seriously, babe, what's wrong?"

"'Babe'?" He asked, moving one hand up to fix her bangs.

"Don't avoid the subject," Bethany said, swatting his hand away.

"I learn from the best," he mumbled, taking a step away from her to pick up his pyjama pants.

Bethany took a step backwards out of the bathroom, holding her hands up. "Ow," she said in mock pain, a smile on her face. "I guess that's fair."

Steve sighed, shaking his head a little as little water droplets fell from his hair. "It's nothing important anyways."

"But it's big enough to bother you," Bethany pointed out, blocking the door to let him through. "So I'll make you a deal. Since honesty is important in a relationship, and I _did _promise to be more honest, I'll tell you what I dreamt of yesterday in exchange for what's on your mind."

"That sounds fair," Steve nodded. "Can I put on clothes first?"  
>"No," Bethany answered with a smirk, taking a hold of the knot of his towel around his waist and pulling him by it to the couch.<p>

"I'm going to get the cushions we-"

"Well it won't be the only thing you've gotten wet this morning," Bethany threw with a curved eyebrow. "I'll be thanking you for that until the day I _actually_ die."

"Don't talk about that," Steve said seriously, not even wanting to entertain the idea.

As they settled onto the couch, Bethany ran a hand through her bangs, angry with the length. Too long and in her eyes, but too short to pull away from her face. "Okay, so my dream. I-I was under Loki's influence still. He kept telling me to kill people. Basically everyone I know. Even people who are dead. And it-it didn't faze me. I didn't give it a second thought. It didn't seem like a command but my own idea. It wasn't until it was Howard that I snapped out of it. I guess I just felt too guilty to tell you. I mean, you were one of my victims and I didn't even hesitate. Steve, I think if Loki gave the kill order in real life, I would've done it."

He reached out and took her hand, caressing his thumb over the back of it. "Hey, the point is he didn't. Okay? You didn't kill anyone."

"I know," Bethany said sighing. "Guilt is a funny thing sometimes. Now, spill the beans. What's on your mind?"

Steve shifted on the couch, using his fingers to comb his hair into place. "I know that guilt is a funny thing," he agreed. "And so is confidence in yourself."

"What exactly are you getting at?" She asked, playing absentmindedly with the edge of Steve's towel.

"I don't know, just some of the things you said this morning got me thinking about… whether you would still be with me if the serum failed."

It was quiet and Steve looked at Bethany. She looked completely shocked and at a loss for words. "That's-that's a really good question." Steve could feel his heart plummet. All of his worst fears coming true. "Not for the way you think. Hey, Steve, look at me. I love you _not_ because of your body. It's a fantastic benefit, but- okay, how do I put this?"

"As delicately as you can, preferably," Steve insisted.

She shook her head, smiling. "Steve, you're missing the part that if the serum wasn't a success, we probably wouldn't have ever seen each other again. But let's say we did, and we talked and got to know each other, something I would've done without a second thought since the minute I heard you talk, I knew you had something important to say. If that happened, Steve, I would've fallen for you just the same."

"But how do you know that for sure?" Steve asked, looking vulnerable.

"I don't," she admitted. "But Steve, if I wanted to be with you just because of your physique, we would've been together months before we were. I mean, the second you came out of that capsule, I could literally feel all of my sanity float down to my nether regions, I was so full of lust. But I knew that I couldn't do that to you. Use you only as a play toy. I got to know you, and fell in love with you for everything that you were. Even if you didn't look like a Greek God, I would still be in love with you. The real question is whether I would've admitted it to both myself and you. Is that-is that what you needed to hear?"

"Yeah," he told her, pulling Bethany against him. "Thank you."

"I get the insecurities," Bethany assured, ignoring the fact that water droplets were occasionally falling on her. "I've had them. Sometimes they creep back. But don't feel insecure about this. About me loving you for you. Okay? There was almost seven decades where I thought you were dead, and let's be serious. I could have any guy I wanted."

Steve chuckled, it rumbling deep in his chest. "You're so modest."

"All I'm saying," Bethany continued, slapping his chest playfully. "Is that even when I had a world full of choice, men of all shapes and sizes, I still held out for you. Because there's no one else."

Steve sniffed, pulling her closer. "I love you so much. Every day it just gets stronger. I never think it can, but you never cease to amaze me."

"Back at ya, Captain," she said snuggling into his chest. "All I want to do ever is just have sex with you. All. The. Time."

Steve threw his head back in laughter. "This is exactly what I mean."

"I'm being serious!" She said turning her head to him, her smile reaching her eyes. "Okay? Sex before you was… great. I mean, sometimes it was, you know, satisfactory. But always better than nothing. But with you? God, Steve, it's always amazing. Just 'cause I know that you love me, and more importantly, I feel like we were molded to be together."

"I know what you mean," he said, pushing some wisps of hair out of his face. "I mean, when you think of the circumstances, it seems so perfect. We seem so perfect. Like… like destiny."

"You're so cheesy," Bethany giggled, tapping his nose. "I was thinking we could do something fun for breakfast this morning."

"Oh, yeah?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow. "And what did you hav-"

Three consecutive knocks on the door interrupted his thoughts. "Just a minute!" Bethany called. "You need clothes." She dictated as she started towards the door.

"And you need a bra and underwear," Steve said, pulling her back and into the bedroom.

Bethany rolled her eyes, but did as he said. She dug through her drawer and quickly pulled out the garments. "I guess underwear is important."

Steve nodded, pulling on his boxers. He carefully avoided her chest area during the conversation, just because he knew how distracting she could be without a bra on. It was impossible to miss. Pulling on some pants, Bethany skipped out of the room, opening the door.

Steve poked his head out the door of the bedroom in curiosity to who it was. "Theo," Bethany said, pulling the hem of Steve's shirt, trying to cover more of her legs. "What are you doing here?"

"I brought you a cupcake," Theo said quietly, holding out a plate with a single cupcake on it.

"Oh," Bethany said, leaning down on her haunches and accepting the plate. "And what do I owe this honor?"

"I…I was hoping that maybe… maybe you'll stay." Theo said timidly.

Steve could see Bethany's shoulders drop. "Does your mother know you're here?" Steve could only assume that Theo nodded, as Bethany invited him in. "Take a seat, kiddo. I'm just going to get dressed, okay?"

She put the cupcake on the table before walking back to the bedroom, immediately wrapping herself in Steve's half-dressed embrace. "You going to be okay?"

"No," Bethany mumbled before pulling away to dig through her closet. Steve closed the door, leaning against it as she pulled out some blue jeans and a red, black and white cable knit sweater. "Leaving people you care about is never easy. But how do you say goodbye to a kid? I mean, he's not mine. He didn't grow inside of me, but he… he grew inside my heart."

When she was finished getting dressed, Steve pulled her into another hug. "I'll let you two have a moment alone. I'll just wait in here, okay?"

She leaned up and kissed him softly, their lips lingering longer than necessary, but a great comfort to them both.

* * *

><p><p>

There was very little things that Bethany couldn't do. She was multi-talented, and always open to trying new things. But through her years of growing as a person, she had discovered what she liked to do and what she didn't. She loved completing a mission, yet hated filing the paperwork that followed it. She loved kicking someone's ass, but hated having to bring permanent damage if they're only a suspect. She loved sea salt chocolate but hated dark chocolate.

But the biggest lesson she learned was how much she loved hellos and hated goodbyes.

_"What's on your mind, kiddo?" Howard asked as he took a seat next to her. The snow was falling heavily, but she insisted on visiting the cemetery, and he couldn't refuse her. _

_ "I'm mad," she admitted, tugging on one of her curls. _

_ "At mom and dad?" Howard asked, surprised. _

_ She nodded. "They left us without saying goodbye"_

_ "Beth, sometimes you can't always control what you can and cannot do," Howard reminded her, wrapping an arm around her. _

_ It had been a couple months since Mr. and Mrs. Stark passed. The loss had been hard on both of the siblings. They had no aunts or uncles. No grandparents. And in the span of a day, they lost half their family in an accident. Howard had just turned 18, so luckily Bethany wasn't sent off to an orphanage. Losing each other would've been worse than losing their parents._

_ "Parents are supposed to take care of their children," Bethany said, staring intently on the tombstone where their names were engraved. "And they left us here to defend for ourselves."_

_ "They wouldn't have done it if they didn't think we could make it," Howard assured her. "They raised strong kids. And hey, we're doing really well considering."_

_ "I'm still mad," Bethany answered stubbornly. _

_ Howard sighed, but turned his body to face hers. "You can't stop people from dying. It's the natural order of things. People have to leave eventually."_

_ "You can't," she said. "You can't leave me. I need you."_

_ "You say that now, but in a couple years, you'll be able to take care of yourself. You won't need me in your life, and I won't take offense. It just means mom, dad and hell even me have done our jobs right."_

_ "I don't want to say goodbye to you," she insisted, kicking the toe of her boot into a pile of snow. _

_"One day, you will." Howard responded calmly. "Bethany, I hope you have a longer life than me. One more full of adventure and excitement than mine, because you deserve it. So one day, I'll leave you. And if I don't get to say goodbye… What if we say goodbye now? Just so if I do leave, you'll always have my goodbye."_

_ Bethany sighed, pushing some hair away from her face. "I guess so…"_

_ "Okay, well for starters; Beth. You are one of my favorite people in the world. You're smart, and caring. You're not afraid to go up against the boys when they play baseball, even in a dress. I don't know exactly where you're headed, but I know it'll be great. It's impossible for it not to be. And just… just remember that I love you. You may irritate me sometimes, and it rubs me the wrong way when you correct me on something, and you end up being right, but those are also things I love about you." He cupped her face, commanding her full attention. "I never want to say goodbye to you, but one day I will. And if I don't get that chance, just know I'll always be proud of you."_

At the time, it seemed silly, but in all retrospect, after Howard died, a little comforting. Their relationship dwindled a little through the years, but he never showed any indication of anything other than what he said. They still talked frequently, just not in the usual joking matter they developed. In fact, Howard had called her the very morning he died, trying to set up a time and place for them to meet. Their lives separated, but they were unable to let go.

Bethany had lived in comfort of knowing that she had gotten her goodbye with Howard in some way. She had the unfortunate experience of letting Steve, Bucky, Dr. Erskine, Daniel McCain, Coulson, her parents and numerous other SHIELD agents and friends leave without saying goodbye. It was hard living with that. It was hard not getting that final moment of closure. But of course, saying goodbye was a difficult task on its own.

And saying goodbye to a child was a daunting one. She knew this. She had done it before. Two years after the initial departure, but she said her goodbyes the same time she said her hellos. And that was a circumstance where she didn't get to bond with the kid, even if it was her own. There was no puppy dog face to distract her, or childish rebuttals to interrupt.

_She had returned to the based in London two years after Steve went missing. McCain was with her, collecting some files that Howard had hidden in some compartments a couple years prior. Bethany had snuck off and found Steve's old room, finding it__ haunting. She had never seen it bare. It always had maps and files for Steve to read on the desk, a radio on the bedside table with his sketch book lying on top of it. His bed was always neatly made, his pyjamas folded carefully on top of his pillow. Yet now, it was empty, and hollow and reflected very much her own personality._

_ Sitting on the mattress of the bed, she waited. Part of her felt like Steve was going to walk in any moment, asking her what she was doing. The other part was hoping she would feel something other than despair. But sitting in the dusty room, she only felt a weird tinge of guilt in her stomach. Laying her hand against it, hoping pressure would sooth the knot, she chocked back a sob. _

_ "I'm sorry," she let out. "I'm sorry I didn't get to say goodbye… or even hello. I'm sorry that your mother is a selfish idiot. I'm sorry I let your dad slip through my fingers. I'm sorry for everything. I think about you, and him, every day. And I just can't help but wonder what he would be like as a dad and what you would be like as a toddler. Both amazing, I bet."_

_ She wiped away a single tear, pulling her legs towards her body, her arms clutching the limbs tightly. "There's a lot of things I regret, but this is my biggest one. _You_ are my biggest one. I should've stopped and thought about everything before I did it. I should've said goodbye to you while you were still growing inside me. Because doing that… that probably would've changed my mind. I'm sorry. And I'm sorry Steve. Just… just for everything."_

_ McCain had found her shortly after, and didn't question anything. It was one of the many reasons why they worked so well. They were comfortable with secrecy, but trusted each other immensely. He waited until she finished crying, wiped off her tears and left the room. He had never brought the situation up after that. _

Taking a seat next to Theo, she let out a heavy sigh. "Theo, I have to leave. I can't stay here anymore."

"But _why_?" He persisted.

"Work, for one." Bethany explained. "I'll be closer to the head of operations, which will be easier for me to do my job to the fullest. But secondly… I need to start a new chapter. I'm not doing this to hurt you, but this will help me."

"But who will babysit me? Buy me comic books and bake cookies?"

"Your mom will find someone," Bethany told him with a smile. "There's lots of babysitters in New York. And hey, soon you'll be old enough to stay home by yourself."

"Nothing will make you stay?" He asked disappointedly.

Bethany shook her head, "I need to do this. I've been trying to move for years, but I've been held back. With everything that's happened in my life in the last few weeks, I need to make this move. But I'm not going to be gone forever. Okay? I'll visit sometimes. And we can talk on the phone. I'm not ready to let you out of my life just yet, kiddo."

"It's not the same," Theo pouted. Bethany pulled him into her arms.

"I know," Bethany consoled. "It's not goodbye forever. Just for now. Do you want to say goodbye to Steve, and I'll start making some special pancakes?"

"Bacon too?" He asked.

Bethany chuckled. "Can you have pancakes anyway else?"

* * *

><p>After pancakes, which Bethany used blue and red food colouring on some, cutting them into stars and stripes, Theo left with a tearful hug. It took Bethany a couple minutes to recover, but as Clint pulled up, she shook off her emotions and quickly began to pack what she needed.<p>

The SHIELD team had more than once packed up her belongings, so she knew her stuff were safe in their hands. The team had also been given the order to take all of Steve's things out of storage and bring them to their new apartment, which Fury insisted would satisfy their needs.

"What does that even mean?" Steve asked as he helped her pack.

"A kitchen, a bathroom, a bedroom," Bethany enlightened. "He picked out this apartment. I mean, I got final say on it, but he's the one who originally chose it. Plus, we can always look for a new one if need be."

Leaving the apartment with just her glasses and beanie, some reporters still outside, and Molly in a travel case, Bethany got into Clint's car and they drove off. The very first thing he said to her was "you had sex, didn't you?"

* * *

><p><strong>**AN: Soo… everyone basically reviewed saying that their little dream-gonna-be-reality thing at the end of the last chapter made them happy/sad and basically I'm afraid for my life if I don't make that happen (okay, overdramatic, but that's who I am). That was thrown in there to up my word count, but hey, glad it worked out! LOL. **

**I'm a sucker for happy endings, so I want something along those lines for Steve and Bethany. While I plan on following the MCU timeline and events, if they make the decision to… I don't know… Kill Steve… **

**Yeah, that's just not gonna float my boat. HAPPY ENDINGS ONLY.**

**ZabuzasGirl: As always, I update as soon as I can. Always writing in between classes, studying, and even while watching TV. **

**Forevermore21: Thank you! I feel a lot better now. Still dealing with the occasional headache, but then again, who isn't during exam time?**

**kadienewberg: Don't worry, I plan on covering all of that in the near future. Lots of flashbacks to answer all those questions!**

**FeliciaFelicis: HAHA! If Tony Stark wears Forever XXI sunglasses with rhinestones, then yes, that was me! I've already decided what's gonna happen in the future, so it just about setting it all up. It's not gonna happen through one chapter though. This is a decision that would take months, and Bethany and Steve will continually talk about it throughout the chapters until a decision is made. Theo won't be gone forever—a little plot bunny attacked me today, and he's the center of it. **

**Yeah, I was wearing a lot of makeup during the movie, so maybe subconsciously, I was like 'don't cry or your makeup will run'. I basically spent that entire day (no school then!) doing my hair and makeup out of boredom. **

**BellaDamonLover: I agree—I just need to know the basic plot. Like can't they just tell us?! Gah! Cloud 9, huh? Haha, I guess I'm doing my job as a writer. **

**Jordan Lynn 7: Hold on tight, it's gonna be a wild journey. **

**Kritsen (Guest): Ah, I love finding a fanfiction and then reading it nonstop. Glad that mine was the one for you and that you're enjoying the story! Fingers crossed that I'll continue to impress you. **

**Shika93: Glad you enjoyed! **


	25. Chapter 25

****A/N: To a guest reviewer named 'Kirsten' who reviewed chapter 23… Yeah, I flubbed your name up. Sorry! I didn't even realize until I sat down to right this chapter.**

**Next chapter will have plot. Promise. Until then, another fluff chapter. **

Chapter 25

Two days later, Steve and Bethany were lying naked in bed. It was the first time in their whole relationship that they were able to do this without a war raging on. Bethany was lying on her stomach, Steve's lips dancing across her back. "You think we could go out and get some fresh air?" Steve murmured against her shoulder.

"No," Bethany disagreed. "Let's just stay like just the rest of the day. _Tomorrow_. Tomorrow we'll go out."

"You said that yesterday," Steve chuckled.

"I'm all warm and fuzzy," she explained. "Kiss up and down my spine again."

Steve did as she asked, a huge smile on his face. "Happy?"

She let out a hum of approval. "So happy."

His lips leisurely traced up and down her spine, occasionally drawing little moans from her. "Can I ask you something?"

"Okay fine, I lied. I'm not getting out of bed tomorrow either."

"No," Steve responded, chuckling. "What were your parents like?"

"Bringing up my parents in bed? Classy, Rogers. Classy."

She shifted, Steve helping her so she could lie in his arms. "It's just last night, I dreamt that it was Christmas and we were surrounded by our family. Then I woke up and realized it's just you and me."

"And Tony," Bethany pointed out, her fingers playing piano on his chest.

"Yeah, right," Steve mumbled.

"Don't say it like that," Bethany scolded. "He's not that bad once you get to know him."

"He doesn't have a filter," Steve explained. "He says things without caring about people's feelings."

"You don't light a fire by a mouth of gasoline," Bethany shrugged. "You'll only get burned. But go on."

He sighed, playing with the ends of her hair. "I just want to know everything about you. I mean, I thought I did before. But I never asked about your parents. And now there's 30 years shy of a century for me to catch up on. I might as well start with what I missed."

"Well," Bethany said, settling her head on the pillow so she could look into his eyes. "I don't really have any memories before the Depression hit. I guess the bad memories stay the most vivid. Dad had to work two jobs to keep us balanced, something he got grief from since a lot of people didn't have _one _job. But his work wasn't mindless things. He was best qualified for them. I barely saw him, though. Sometimes on weekends, but they were rare, and usually he slept through them."

"And your mom?" He asked, his fingers drawing lines on her stomach. "Was she like you? A spitfire?"

"Not even," Bethany shook her head. "My mother was everything I never want to be. She spent every waking moment making my life hell. She praised Howard, but hated that I wasn't a proper lady. I mean, at age six all I wanted to do was play with my friends. She was trying to form me into the perfect mold of a lady. The harder she pushed, the hard I resisted."

"They died in a car accident, right?"

She nodded, a yawn escaping her lips. "They were going to church. Howard and I both were recovering from diphtheria, so they went without us."

"How old were you?" He spoke softly.

"I don't really know," she replied after a moment. "Eleven maybe? Twelve?"

"You don't remember what year your parents died in?" Steve question, the very idea shocking to him.

"No," Bethany admitted. "For a lot of kids, losing one, let alone two parents is a traumatic thing. And it was for the first little while. But Howard took care of me, and let me be my own person. Everything happens for a reason. If my parents didn't die then, there's no saying what would have become of me. I probably wouldn't have worked for Erskine, which means I would either be dead or really weak and wrinkly by now. And I wouldn't have met you."

"Do you ever feel like you're cheating out life?" Steve asked, driving the conversation off course.

"Every day," Bethany answered. "But I always remember that life has cheated me too."

* * *

><p>The cottage they were staying at was generally used as a SHIELD safe house, so was nothing short of amazing. All the electronics were the newest of its kind, with hundreds of books, CDs and movies. After Steve dragged Bethany, quite literally too, out of bed, she agreed that the rest of the house had a lot to offer.<p>

Upon arriving, Steve declared he wanted to cook everything for them. Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Bethany was a bit skeptical at first, but it was a nice change to have someone wait on her every beck and call. As Steve would cut vegetables and boil water, Bethany sat down on the floor, playing with a box of gadgets SHIELD had stored there.

"What exactly are you making?" Steve asked over the sizzle of the pan.

"SHIELD is notorious for bugging places, which means they can either see or hear everything that happens here."

"Wait, everything?" Steve asked, thinking back to how they had spent their vacation so far.

"I've made more than one of these," She said picking up the little box with wires sticking out of it. "It kills any of the spy systems in the room. Fries them completely. But everytime I make one, I have the need to make a bug system to beat out the new disabler."

"Why?" Steve asked, confused. "Doesn't that just defeat the purpose?"

"A little healthy competition never hurt anyone," Bethany said defensively.

"This competition is with your_self_," Steve reminded her.

She just rolled her eyes. "It's like you don't know me at all. But the point is, I want to make this so I can kill all the bugs in this cottage. Fury can get as pissed off at me as he wants, but I just want complete privacy from SHIELD for once."

"Dinners almost ready," Steve told her, removing the pan from heat. "You want to eat at the table?"

"Actually," she said getting up from her spot. "I was thinking we could start educating you on pop culture. You can't hide from it forever. You need to embrace it. Plus, there's some pretty good movies out there."

"Okay, what do you want to start with?" Steve asked, watching as she pulled her hair into a ponytail.

"I was thinking Disney movies. They basically have the entire collection on the shelf. It's a good place to start, since watching Disney movies while growing up is basically a rite of passage. And I was thinking we could do them in order so you can see how everything has changed and developed over the years."

"Sounds great," Steve told her, holding out a hand for her. She walked over and took it, moving in and taking in that smell that was distinctly his. "What's first?"

"Cinderella," she said, wiggling her eyebrows.

* * *

><p>"Bethany?" Steve called out in the middle of the night. The side of the bed that was always hers was empty, and the sheets were cold, indicating that she had been gone for a while. "Beth?" He called again, getting out of the bed and pulling on a t-shirt.<p>

Wading into the sitting room in just his boxers and t-shirt, he saw her bent over a laptop, the glow of the screen illuminating her features. Her eyes were glued to the screen, her fingers dancing across the keyboard like a ballerina on a stage. A quiet electronic hiss sounded the room and Bethany reached out to what she told him was called a 'printer' and picked up a piece of paper.

"Bethany?" He called out again. When she didn't respond, her eyes glued to the papers coming from the printer, he flicked on the lights.

She visibly squinted, then looked up at him. Pulling out her ear buds, her brows creased. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't," He told her, walking to her and sitting beside her. "But I woke up, and you weren't there. Just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Just doing some research," she told him, gathering all her papers together.

"Research, or work?" Steve asked, looking at the laptop screen which was on the SHIELD database main page.

"I'm busted, aren't I?" She said, with a small, guilty smile.

Steve closed the laptop, taking the papers from her hands. She protested slightly, but he covered her lips with his hand. "You said you wouldn't work, or make any contact with SHIELD while we were here."

She pushed his hand away, sighing. "So I'm a workaholic. And it's not like I was taking on any missions. I was just… Look at the papers."

Steve studied her for a minute before picking up the papers and reading the first one. "Your medical file?"

"Part one of eighty-two," she told him, swallowing hard.

His eyebrows shot up, "That's… excessive. This pile alone is huge."

"I know," she sighed. "I didn't know. I mean, they run tests on me every year, but I didn't think much came from it."

"You understand this… gibberish?" He asked, not making sense of a lot of the points.

Bethany let out a quick chuckle, her face only lighting up slightly. "I may be a SHIELD agent, but I've kept up on my degrees through the years. If I wanted, I could walk into any hospital and get a job."

"Care to enlighten me?" He asked, flipping to the next page.

She sighed, curling up next to him. "I haven't had time to go through it all. And a lot of it is probably confidential."

"But if it's about your health, I think I have the right to know," Steve insisted, letting go of the papers, them hitting the table with a thump.

"Well, there's been over forty doctors on my case since SHIELD was formed. All of them have different theories. Dr. Bolton in 1986 held the belief that if I stopped regenerating from injuries, I would age again. Dr. Ryan in 1992 theorized that the more I heal, the worse my bipolar disorder gets. I don't really know what's true and what isn't, but look at this."

She opened the laptop screen again, typing in some codes and pulling up some more medical files. "I can no longer blame you for getting me pregnant."

"What?" Steve said, leaning in and reading the screen.

"Erskine's formula has always focused on creating human perfection. Humans are genetically engineered to create more humans. We never stood a chance, not with just 1940's latex. My body is just highly hospitable."

"W-what does that mean for us now?" Steve asked. "I mean, there's nothing wrong with what we're doing now, but-"

"It's not the same, I know," Bethany agreed, running her hand through her hair. "But we've got the 21st century on our side. I'll figure something out."

"And if you don't?" He asked, lying down on the couch, pulling her to lie alongside him. "What then?"

"We… deal," she said, not knowing. "But I think we can both agree on this; I don't want kids out of wedlock."

Steve smiled, kissing the top of her head. "We've never really talked about that before. Like it's _going_ to happen."

"I was under the impression it was," she told him, looking up at him.

"It's just different assuming and having you say it. But I agree," Steve told her. "I love this."

"Lying on a couch?"

Steve chuckled, "Planning our life together. I never… I never really ever thought it would be a reality for me. Finding a gal who loved me, not to mention was the most beautiful woman in the world. Not that you would need to be. I love you for you, but-"

"It doesn't hurt," Bethany finished chuckling. "I know."

"I guess this is just everything I could've ever asked for." Steve concluded.

* * *

><p>Steve had left for a jog around town, also with a grocery list from Bethany, promising it would only be two bags worth of stuff. Steve disagreed, and after a quick spat, finally took the list and left the house. If it was more bags, it would be worth seeing her face at being wrong.<p>

Bethany however, gave him the list as reason to solely contact Fury. He had been sending her little encrypted messages, which she had been trying to hide from Steve the best she could. It wasn't easy as he barely left her side, which wasn't exactly a complaint after decades of pining after him. But it was nice to have a quick breather to call her boss.

"How is he?" She asked as soon as he picked up, curious about Coulson's condition.

_"The procedure was long, but successful. A lot of stuff happened though, Stark."_

"Steve's out of the house, can you send me the file? I've been trying to find it, but with little progress," Bethany said, scrolling through the SHIELD database.

_"I've decided to compartmentalize this, but not in the system. When you get back, I'll tell you everything in person. I don't want any evidence of this."_

"But if it was a success," Bethany said, leaning back in her seat. "Why not use it? This could do a lot of good."

_"I'd rather not say on this line," _Fury said slowly. _"When should I expect you?"  
><em>"I'm not sure," Bethany admitted. "If I suggest we go back, Steve will know something's up. I want him to suggest it."

_"You have a month,_" Fury directed. _"And then at such time, you'll be called back. On another note, how are you doing? Any reason for us to worry?"  
><em>"Some nightmares, but nothing to worry about. I'm dealing. Did Selvig's secondary tests come back? And what about Clint?"

_"Right now, just worry about you. And that's an order, Stark."_

"Understood," Bethany stated. "Anything else? I don't know when I'll get time alone again."

_"Rogers hovering? Have you two even left the house?"_

"I hear that tone of judgement in your voice, and I resent it."

_"Just be careful," _He warned. _"I can't lose my wingman."_

Bethany smiled. "Hey Nick? Thanks. I really appreciate this. I was looking over my medical files last night and I realized how much has been kept from me over the years. It means a lot that you trust me with this information."

_"Just don't give me reason to regret this. One month."_

As the line went dead, Steve opened the door, carrying three bags of groceries. "I told you," he said with a confident smirk.

"No," Bethany fought as he put the groceries on the kitchen table. "They could've fit in two."

"Go ahead and try," Steve suggested, hands on his hips. "But if you're wrong, you get to make dinner tonight."

Bethany crossed her arms, looking at the bags before nodding. "Deal."

Steve sat down and watched with his smirk as she tried to get the contents of the bag into two instead of three. After ten minutes, Steve was trying desperately to hold back his laughter. Finally, throwing her hands in the air frustrated, she gave.

"Fine! FINE! You were right! Happy?!"

Steve's laughter burst from him. "Yes. And how did _that_ feel coming from your mouth?"

"Like vinegar," she muttered, unpacking the bags and stocking the shelves and fridge. "What do you want for dinner?"

"Well after watching _Lady and the Tramp_ last night, I was thinking spaghetti and meatballs?"

"Did you buy any noodle-" she was cut off by the loud shrill of her phone. "I need to get new ringtones," she muttered taking out her phone. "I need to take this."

Despite saying this, she looked to Steve for approval. He sighed, but nodded. "I'll finish un-packing these."

"Thank you," she said leaning down to kiss his cheek. "It's not work, I promise."

"It's fine," he assured before she walked into the sitting room, answering the phone.

Steve finished unpacking the groceries, and then feeling generous, began to fill a pot with water to boil. He tried his best not to eavesdrop, but he couldn't help it. "She's mad at _me?" _Bethany said, a chuckle in her tone. "Oh, well of course then. That makes _complete _sense… No, that's not it at-will you put her on the phone?... Okay, well when she wakes up can you let her know we're out of the country…. I'm not sure, actually. We haven't talked about that… Well, it's up to Steve, Shar-… Look, just tell her that we'll visit soon. Okay. Take care… bye."

She hung up, looking exhausted from the conversation alone before dragging herself to the kitchen. "Who was that?" Steve asked, pulling her into his arms.

"Peggy's niece," she answered, laying her head on his chest. "Peggy's mad at me since I haven't visited her in a while, and last time I called her, left out the small detail of you being alive."

"Why'd you do that?" Steve asked, brows furrowed.

Bethany sighed. "I wasn't sure if you were ready to face her. It's… it's hard to visit her. Even for me. She's old, Steve. And she hasn't exactly aged the way a woman would want. And she has… some memory issues. I just didn't want you to see her before you were ready."

"Do you have any pictures? Maybe ease me into it?" He asked, reaching over to turn the gas down on the stove top.

"That's my assignment," she said with a wink. "Ease you into the new world."

* * *

><p>Soon later, Steve found out just how difficult living with Bethany could be. Sure, he had caught glimpses of her worst side before, but never on a 247 loop. His morning jog was tripled just to let Bethany have her space. She wouldn't let him touch her, or even go anywhere near her. He even slept on the couch the night before, afraid that she would randomly start yelling at him again. But he couldn't deny when she said that they had to go to the store. If she said 'they' had to, then he would follow without a second thought.

"What isle?" Steve asked when they walked into the store.

"Over here," Bethany grumbled, walking down the feminine hygiene isle. "I hate being a woman…"

"I know," Steve said with a sigh. "You've said that already. Almost fifty times."

"Stop sassing me, Rogers. You don't understand," she snapped, stopping in front of the colour shelves and looking at the packaging.

"What I don't understand is," he lowered his voice, stepping as close to her as he dared. "Is how you can get shot, have a limb cut off and your head smashed in, but when it comes to menstrual cramps, you act as if it's the worst pain you've ever experienced."

"It's just unfair," Bethany explained, picking up two boxes and comparing the two. "When you're a girl, you can't do anything until you're a woman. And to be a woman includes having your period, but if you miss it, it's just as painful 'cause that means you're pregnant and it's even worse. And then when you reach menopause, you're old. See how unfair that is? And what do guys have to worry about? A little morning wood every once and awhile? Please, I'd trade that for this any day."

"Are you almost done?" Steve asked, looking around nervously.

"You're allowed to be down here, it's not like it's the girls' bathroom. But I think I'm ready."

Steve nodded, grateful as they made their way to the cashier line. "Is there anything else you need?"

"A new uterus…" she grumbled.

"Will you stop it? Please?" Steve begged, whispering under his breath. "I understand that you're in pain, but this can't happen every month."

"Too bad," Bethany snapped again, dropping the box by the cashier.

"Is that all for today, ma'am?" The old man behind the cash asked.

"Unfortunately," Bethany mumbled, pushing her bangs out of her eyes. They were already growing out, and for that she was grateful. He read out the price and Steve reached inside his pocket for his wallet. "I'm gonna be outside."

As Bethany left, Steve let out a sigh, handing the cashier the money. "My wife always used to say," the old man began as he counted out the change. "That you know when a lady loves you based on how much of herself she is around you during her time of the month."

"Personally, I wouldn't mind her being a little less like herself right now," Steve admitted with a small smile, accepting his change.

"'I'm not a smart man, but I know what love is'." The man said as he handed Steve the bag.

Steve chuckled, recognizing the quote from _Forrest Gump_. Bethany insisted that it was a must see movie, and would help with a lot of pop culture references, but he only added close to two dozen things to his list during it. "Have a good afternoon, sir."

Bethany was already in their rental car, feet on the dash and looking like she hated the world. He got into the car, throwing the bag in the back seat and turned to her. "Feet off the dash. Listen, I love you. That's never going to change. And yeah, I understand that I need to be understanding, and more importantly caring during this time, but Bethany… I'm not going to let you walk over me. Okay?"

She looked shocked at his words, shrinking back in her seat a little. "O-Okay…"

"Now, how about we go back to the house, I draw you a bath and bring you some chocolate? You can listen to your music and just… relax."

She folded her arms, thinking over this idea. "It wouldn't hurt if you threw in a backrub."

Steve allowed her a small smile, "Okay."

"Hey Steve?" She asked as he put the keys in the ignition.

"Yeah?" He asked, stilling as her hand moved to his arm. He turned to face her, confused before she all but attacked him with a soul shattering kiss.

Steve jumped slightly, but didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around her body. "What's-" he tried to get out as she kissed him hard. "This for?"

"I don't," she started, her breath heavy. "Know. Just. Mmm, go with it."

He softly pushed her away, his hands wrapped around her arms. "Okay, well we're in a parking lot, for one. And secondly, Beth this can't… _go_ anywhere…"

He almost regretted telling her this as she slunk back into her seat, pulling on her seatbelt and putting her feet back on the dash. "I hate being a woman. Or better yet, I hate being fertile."

"Don't say that," Steve said as he started the car and made his way out of the parking lot. "Just remember. Bath, music, chocolate and back rub."

* * *

><p>"How come I've never seen this freckle before?" Steve asked, pointing at a freckle on her back.<p>

"It's always been there," Bethany smirked.

Steve leaned down and kissed it. "I guess I've never seen it before. Are you sure? 'Cause I spent the majority of 1944 trying to memorize everything about you."

"Well, I remember it being 1940 and Howard suggesting we go to Florida to celebrate how well Stark Industries was doing. We spent the entire week on the beach. I was as red as red can be, but I didn't care. The burns healed, we went home and all that was left was a couple freckles."

"I've always loved the ones on your nose," Steve said lying down beside her. He tapped her nose, her swatting his hand away, chuckling. "You have a perfect nose. And I'm not just trying to flatter you. It's the truth. Just like the rest of you. Perfect lips, perfect eyes. Even perfect ears. How is that possible?"  
>"I could be taller," Bethany said with a shrug. "And you shouldn't be talking about perfection. You are aware that your shoulder to hip ratio is actually one of myth, right?"<p>

"I'm not perfect," Steve said, kissing her temple.

"Yes you are," Bethany said, looking at him, tapping his nose. "Even _your_ nose. I love this little bump. How'd you get it?"

"1939," Steve said, brushing his hair off his shoulder. "Bucky had a cold, so I was picking him up some things to help, since he always helped take care of me. Ran into some guy harassing a girl, tried to stop him and ended up with a broken nose. Got back to Bucky's and he took care of me instead of me taking care of him."

Bethany was quiet after that, thinking about Steve before the muscles. Steve in his too-big clothes, but with the most innocent face anyone would have ever seen. It would be like a grown up beating up a kid. It made her sick, and she was sorry she asked.

"You okay?" Steve asked after another minute of silence.

"The real question is, are you?" She asked, fingers playing with the edge of his shirt. "I mean, I know we've talked about it before, but you never really seemed to stress your childhood."

"'Cause it's in the past," Steve explained. "Focusing on it now isn't going to do any difference."

"You're too righteous," Bethany told him with a smirk. "How does that happen? How does a righteous man fall in love with a girl like me?"

"Opposites attract?" Steve tried, winking smugly and kissing her. "You're righteous. You stand up for what you believe in. Can you stop trying to make yourself seem like the devil advocate? Please?"

"Can you get me another glass of chocolate milk?" She tried, biting her lip.

Shaking his head amused, he agreed. Molly instantly took Steve's place. "Hey, when were you thinking about heading back to the States?" Steve asked from the kitchen.

"I was going to leave it up to you," She told him, pulling Molly onto her stomach and scratching her back.

"Yeah but we're here because of what happened with Loki," Steve reminded her, making his way back with a tall glass of chocolate milk. "I mean, personally I think you're doing well."

"I get nightmares," Bethany admitted. "Sometimes I go to do something and I hear whispers of Loki, but I've been able to push them all away. Just like all my other ghosts. I'm fine to go back whenever."

"It's been two weeks," Steve began. "And it's been great, but I feel…"

"Useless?" Bethany tried, taking her glass and sipping it. "We're one and the same. We can't remain idle. All I want is to jump back into work."

"Which is something I'd actually like to talk to you about," Steve said, sitting beside her on the bed. "How would you feel about me joining SHIELD?"

Bethany almost chocked on her milk, but carefully swallowed it and wiped her mouth. "You-you want to join SHIELD?"  
>"I need to do something with my life," Steve explained. "I need to help make the world a better place. I can't just sit back and watch chaos ensue."<p>

Bethany reached over and put her glass on the bedside table. "I-I have no objections… I guess I'm just surprised. SHIELD isn't really the… most… honor-ous company. That's not a word, is it? But you get what I mean."

"It can't be that bad if you, Howard and Peggy created it," Steve explained.

"It's changed a lot since then," Bethany sighed. "Look, it's up to you. SHIELD could use someone with your skills. You'd be an amazing asset. I just want you to know that there's not a high honor of being a SHIELD agent like there is with enlisting."

"Both jobs have downsides, things that weigh heavy on our conscience. _But_," Steve said, pushing her bangs out of her eyes. "In the end, they're both fighting for peace. For a better future. That's something I respect, and would like to be a part of."

"One more week," Bethany decided. "And then we'll leave. It'll work well too, since Tony's birthday is next week and he'll never let me forget it if I don't stop by."

"One week," Steve agreed with a smile. "And tomorrow… we're going out on a date."

* * *

><p>"You know, my parents were from Ireland," Steve said as they laid out a picnic blanket. "It's nice to see where they came from."<p>

"Why do you think I chose this place?" Bethany asked, sitting down. Steve, still standing, watched her carefully. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

He shook his head, sitting down across from her. "You realize that you do things for me all the time, right?"

"What do you mean?" Bethany asked, taking out some cookies.

"You-you just always do things that I want before I even know it." Steve explained.

"That's what love is," Bethany said with a shrug. "You do the same. Making me pasta for _breakfast_ this morning? Massaging my feet while we watched _E.T_. And always putting the seat down on the toilet. I really appreciate _that_."

As they talked and ate, the sun beat down on their back hard. Within twenty minutes, Bethany had taken off her sweater, and Steve his plaid shirt, leaving him in just his white wife beater. It was just the two of them, overlooking a beach. "It's beautiful," Steve said, gesturing to the water.

"It's hot," Bethany countered. "Can we go swimming later?"

"Twenty minutes after we eat," Steve said, in his usual tone.

Bethany couldn't help but chuckle. "You're too adorable. And you have humus on your face."

She reached over and wiped it off, then brought it to her lips and sucked her finger. "And you're a vixen."

"My official title," Bethany said with a smirk. "Do you remember back in '44, having that picnic where Bucky kept making me eat bananas?"

Steve gave a smile in fond memory. "Yeah. And you are Howard fought. A lot."

"Not more than him and Peggy," Bethany added.

"I remember sketching you," Steve said, taking her hand in his. "And you singing… what was it?"

"I think it was _Somewhere Over the Rainbow_?" Bethany tried. "Remember Bucky climbing the tree?"

He nodded solemnly and Bethany's face dropped a little. "I'm sorry… it's been years for me, but I guess it's still too soon for you."

"Nah, it's… it's nice to talk about them," Steve explained. "It's nice to remember that time. And if you don't keep people alive in your hearts and memories, they die all together. I just… I remember that day all too well. And I said something that just… doesn't rub me right."

"What do you mean?" Bethany said, moving closer to him, pushing his hair back into its wave.

"I said '_I would catch her if she fell. I'm not catching you_.' I said that to Bucky, and he died because I… I didn't-"

"Hey," Bethany said, putting a hand on his cheek. "That wasn't your fault. Okay? Bucky followed you into war, not because he was obligated to, but because he respected you. He _wanted_ to. His sacrifice hasn't been forgotten. Okay?"

His look of a broken puppy pained her. "It's still hard to deal with. He was always there, no matter what. And the one time he needed me-"

"He always needed you," Bethany interrupted. "Okay? Bucky and I didn't talk about much outside of you, and I could always tell that you changed his life." She pulled him into his embrace, holding him tightly. "I'm just sorry I wasn't there for you when it happened. I should've been there."

"You're here now," he whispered. "And I love you for that."

"I promise to be there for you from now on," Bethany pledged. "Okay? And I love you too."

He gave her a small smile before kissing her lightly, the two of them falling onto the blanket, tangled in each other.

* * *

><p><strong>**AN: I saw ****_Winter Soldier_**** again, and this time focused exactly where I want Bethany. I'm thinking it'll play out nicely. **

**forevermore21: Glad you think so! Means I'm doing my job.**

**FeliciaFelicis: HAPPY BIRTHDAY! As soon as I read that, I hustled to get this out for today. Who needs to study for an english exam? Psh, not me. Very happy that you enjoy my filler chapters since they'll be a lot of them. I could write forever about fluff. **

**Springowl13: I always cry during movies and books, but it's better when it's for happy moments over sad.**

**Kadienewberg: No offense taken. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and preferences. I personally feel like Bethany would transform our innocent Steve in the bedroom, if only a little. Steve will always be sweet, but this is a couple whose first romantic encounter was full blown sex. They're gonna be a little hot and heavy.**

**BellaDamonLover: I'm doing great, thank you. And I agree about Howard. And If I could get Cap, I'd keep him for myself. I don't think I'd ever let him out of my sight. **


	26. Chapter 26

****A/N: So there's some _Agents of SHIELD_ spoilers in here. All about Coulson and his recovery. So read with caution to that.**

**Also, something that I feel is important to get out there: **

**So I was recently made aware that Bethany was coming off as someone with low self esteem and was therefore dragging everyone down. I wasn't aware that she was like that, so I just want to remind people that if there is anything about the characters that annoy you, please feel free to let me know through a review or personal message (I read both and take them both very seriously). Honestly, I never intended for Bethany to be like that, and so this knowledge was a strange awakening to me, but I'm glad that it's been made known so I can focus on making Bethany more like the person i've always intended her to be. Your reviews only make me and the characters better.**

**I'm a little protective over Bethany and may not agree with your opinions, but I truly believe that everyone is entitled to their own opinions, and that I can learn something from someone else. I'll never beg for reviews, but they do make my day and make me think hard about where the story and Bethany is going. **

**Without further ado...**

Chapter 26

"Agent Stark, what is _that_?" Director Fury asked as Bethany and Steve walked into his office at the Triskelion.

Bethany rolled her eyes, holding Molly's cat carrier closer to her body. "She's a cat. And she would be in my apartment if you didn't summon me here as soon as we landed. I thought I could see my new place _before_ coming back to work."

"Who brings their cat on vacation with them?" Hill asked, standing in the corner of Fury's office.

"What else was I supposed to do with her?" Bethany threw back.

"You told me on the phone that it was important," Fury reminded her, bringing the attention back to him.

"Well," Bethany said switching her grip on the carrier. "I figured you'd be busy and I'd be put at the bottom of the important list. Not right at the top. Although, I could get used to this."

"We _are_ very busy Stark," Hill pressed. "Not everyone can take a vacation in a time of crisi-"

"Hey, I would've stayed an extra week if needed. Fury assured me that everything was handl-"

"Can you both just _stop_?" Fury demanded, growing tired of the never-ending Stark-Hill battle. "And focus on the issue at hand?"  
>Bethany grumbled under her breath. "The floor is yours, Steve."<p>

"Captain?" Fury asked, surprised that it was Steve who had something to ask.

Steve folded his hands behind his back, taking in a deep breath. "After doing some thinking, I've learned I can't live a normal life. I can't go back to the day to day motions that I had before the war. When I woke up, I questioned my existence a little. After the battle, I felt like I had a purpose."

"It sounds like you're asking for a job, Rogers," Fury said, putting his hands on his hips.

"That's exactly what I am asking, sir."

Fury and Hill exchanged a quick look, Hill shrugging. "It's not a bad idea. Especially after the last few weeks."

"Couldn't hurt to have the greatest soldier in history on our side," Fury agreed. "Agent Stark?"  
>"Don't look at me," Bethany insisted, putting one hand up in a surrendering motion. "If this is what he wants, I'm not going to stand in his way. He seems pretty determined, and I know better than to get in the middle of him and determination."<p>

"Alright," Fury said with a curt nod. "Welcome to SHIELD, Captain."

Bethany watched as the side of Steve's lip quirked ever so much before it returned to one of professionalism. "Thank you, Director."

"You're not going to start him on Level 1, are you?" Bethany asked, finally putting Molly's carrier down, much to the cat's dismay. "If Steve can take _me_ out, he at least deserves a higher standing."

"He's taken you out?" Hill said, with a hint of a smile, ideas of watching the agent surrendering dancing through her mind.

"I was off my A-game," Bethany replied starkly.

Fury took a seat behind his desk. "Where would you recommend?"  
>"Level 6?" Bethany suggested. "Natasha and Clint are there. I think he's proven that he can keep up. After some more training, introducing him to new fighting techniques, he'll fit right in."<p>

Fury nodded. "I agree. Level 6 is a good place. How's that sound Rogers?"

"Truthfully sir," Steve began. "I'm just glad to be of service."

"You're here at a good time," Fury explained. "Lots to do. Clean up has been extensive, but a lot of Chitauri weapons are still out there. There's reason to believe that they've reached the black market and some powerful enemies have some on hand. Hill? Can you take Rogers to registration and set up his profile. I need to have a private word with Agent Stark."

"Yes sir," Hill responded automatically. Bethany touched Steve's arm lovingly for a second, giving him a tight lipped smile before he left the room. As the door closed, the shades were drawn and Bethany pulled up a chair.

"I assume you want the rundown on Coulson," Fury began as Molly let out an angry meow.

"Sorry, she's not used to confinement," Bethany explained, watching as Molly tried to poke her paw out of the holes.

"Is anybody?" Fury asked realistically. "Now, back to Agent Coulson. He's officially recovering _away_ from the Guest House. The drug proved to be successful. I'm under the impression you've come to understand where the drug came from."

"If it's from the Guest House, then yes. You're still experimenting on it?" Bethany asked, thinking back to the alien creature SHIELD found years ago, and had ever since been testing on it, trying to unlock the secrets its body held. Truthfully, she didn't agree with any of it. It was still a living creature, and she could relate to it. For years, she feared being tested on, poked and prodded, but slowly her fear disappeared. Her blood couldn't help anyone but herself, so any interest in her was slim to none.

"New age, new technology," Fury explained. "The point is, it _worked._"

"Then why not have this in the system? Not perfect it? Now use it to help more people?"

"Because we're not sure what'll come of it," Fury explained. "It's dangerous. If the time comes, we'll look into it, but until then, it'll stay at the Guest House where it belongs. No one can know about this. Not even Coulson. Understood?"

"If that's what you want," Bethany said with a light sigh. "How are you going to explain all of this to him?"

"Miracles," Fury shrugged. "They happen every day. As of right now, Coulson is just grateful to be alive."

"I'm assuming you're covering all your bases," Bethany furthered the conversation. "What are we telling him? Telling everyone?"

"Did you tell Rogers about Coulson's recovery?" Fury asked suddenly.

"You told me not too," Bethany reminded him calmly. "I don't like lying to him, but I understand compartmentalization. Why? Are we keeping it a secret? Forever?"

"For the time being," Fury explained. "Things didn't… go as smoothly as we hoped they would. Coulson was… begging for death. He was going through traumatic things as he was recovering, and in mind of that, we altered his memories. He believes he spent the last few weeks recovering in Tahiti."

"Slick lying there Nick," Bethany said, picking at some dirt under her nails. "Where is he now?"

"He's here. We rented him an apartment, and he has a SHIELD nurse watching over him."

"Is this so you can keep a close eye on him?" Bethany questioned, turning her head at the sound of Molly's meow. "This is just… did we do the right thing?"

"He's alive, isn't he?"

Bethany shook her head. "If we did the right thing, we wouldn't have to lie. And here we are, drowning in them."

"We're spies," Fury reminded her.

"Lying to our own just doesn't feel right. Especially Coulson."

Fury leaned forward. "I didn't make the mistake in trusting you, did I?"

"No," Bethany groaned. "I'll keep anything a secret that you ask me to. _Anything_. I just need to get these worries out before I see Steve and he sees right through me."

"I'm a little surprised that you don't have a problem with him joining SHIELD," Fury admitted.

"I'm not an idiot," Bethany reminded him. "And I won't let him get in the way of my job. And I think after the alien invasion, we can agree that Steve keeps his eyes on the prize."

"You two will be spending a lot of time together. With living together and now working together."

"Making up for lost time," Bethany said with a shrug. "Speaking of time; before I left, Bruce and I had a conversation about possibly looking into reversing the effects of the serum in my body. I know SHIELD has been studying it for years, but never with the direct intention of _un-_doing it. I'd like permission to show Bruce my medical files so we can work on-"

_"Director_," Maria's voice rang through the office comm. _"We've completed what we could of Captain Rogers' profile, but we can't finalize it without a doctor's examination, yet the doctors say that aren't authorized to fill out the information."_

"Stark will be there in a minute," Fury told her, giving Bethany a shrug. "You have my permission. I'll feel more comfortable having a SHIELD doctor in on this as well. You can chose whoever you see fit."

"Thank you. And before I leave, where's Coulson staying?" Bethany asked, standing up and picking up Molly's carrier.

"I'll send you the address," Fury promised. "Just don't make me regret-"

"Nick, it's fine. I've been doing this longer than you've been alive. I know what's at stake. I'm not going to mess this up just because I'm emotionally involved."

* * *

><p>Bethany met Steve in an empty examination room. She had left Molly in her office, letting the feline stretch while she did her job. Pulling on a lab coat, she smiled. It felt good to not only be back at work, but to be examining a patient. She hardly ever got to pull out that medical degree she so badly wanted in 1939.<p>

"Why couldn't the other doctors examine me?" Steve asked as Bethany picked up the scanner pad to write the information down.

"Because a) I am the head of anything related to the super soldier program and b) you are said super soldier. Although, I guess that means I'm in charge of Bruce's health too, since the Hulk was a failed attempt."

"Does that mean you're the doctor for yourself?" He asked, sitting on the examination table.

"In a way," Bethany said. "I'm not really sure, but I'm more complicated than you. I can even understand Bruce's body better than mine. Take off your shirt."

Steve followed orders, sitting on the table in just his tank top. "What first?"

"The usual," Bethany said with a smirk. "I already have your height and weight, but I need to check your heartbeat and lungs, take a few blood samples."

"Just blood samples?" Steve asked, voice even.

Bethany chuckled. "As far as I know of. Although, it could be a benefit for us to see if spermicide would work."

"What?" Steve asked.

"It's a type of birth control," Bethany explained, listening to his heartbeat.

"How many _are_ there?" Steve asked as Bethany jotted something down on the electronic pad.

"You wanna do fifty jumping jacks?" She asked, jumping up on the table as he got off. "And a _lot_. Not all of them, excuse me, none of them are 100% effective, which means for _us_, they'll be less so. Actually, the only birth control method that _is_ 100% effective is absence, but what fun is that?"

As Steve performed his jumping jacks, he laughed. "Don't let anyone tell you that you changed. You haven't. At all."

"Well I hope I have a _little_," Bethany said, her legs kicking as they dangled off the edge of the table.

"You're more mature," Steve added. "Could you use more than one method together?"

"Birth control?" Bethany clarified. "Yeah, just not latex and latex. It'll tear. Everything varies from 90-99 percent effective if done _correctly. _I mean, we could do a diaphragm, birth control pill and pull out met- I think you're done."

"Oh," Steve said, realizing that he had definitely passed fifty. He moved forward and Bethany listened to his heartbeat once more.

"Amazing," Bethany muttered. "I will never get over this. Not after taking your vitals and measurements from before."

"You've known me longer like this than not," Steve said, taking half a step closer to her, their faces almost touching.

He watched as she swallowed heavily, her eyes fluttering over him quickly. "Yeah? Well sometimes I miss that boy who knew what personal space meant."

One of his hands rested on her knee, his forehead against hers. "Are we done here, Dr. Stark?"

"Almost," she whispered, pushing him away lightly. "I still need a blood sample."

She hopped off the table, swaying slightly, feeling all sense leaving her head. "I hate you for doing this to me."

"Doing what?" Steve asked, but smiled as he watched her stumble to a cabinet to get out the supplies she needed.

"That thing you do," she explained vaguely. "You know, where you look me up and down so subtly and so carefully. Not insulting, but it's just," she turned around to face him, looking completely frazzled. "You did it when I first examined you too. You were redder than a tomato, but the way you were looking at me. I dreamt about it maybe one too many times before we were together."

"You-you dreamed about me?" He asked with a smile, sitting on the table as she made her way over.

"On occasion, but I didn't make anything of them."

She prepped his arm and then proceeded to extract some blood. "I dreamt about you, if that helps," Steve tried.

"When I left the room, back on that day…" She started slowly, hoping he'd catch on. "Did you… think about me? I won't be mad if you didn't-"

"You know that way I looked at you? Well you looked at me a certain way that day too," Steve explained, stumbling only once. "You were engraved in my head ever since then." Bethany looked away, but Steve could see the flattered smile on her face. "Even when I tried to move on, I couldn't."

"I'm done," Bethany told him, taking the needle out of his arm.

"That's significantly less than before," Steve said, reaching for his shirt. Bethany put the blood sample in the designated fridge before rummaging through the cupboards. "What are you doing?"

"It's SHIELD," Bethany said, as if that explained everything. "Now if I didn't spend the last 70 years being more celibate than a scared church girl, then I would've developed them myself."

"What are you talking about?" Steve asked, unbuckling his pants to tuck in his now buttoned shirt.

"One-hundred percent effective birth control," she said. "You know what? We could do surgeries. Although, I feel uncomfortable asking you of it, so I could get my tubes tied."

"I don't know what that means, but it doesn't sound safe," Steve said, crossing his arms.

"For normal people, no. For me, yes."

"I don't want to risk that," he insisted. "I'm not risking you just so we can have fun for a couple of minutes."

"'A couple of minutes'?" Bethany exclaimed. "If it only lasted a couple of minutes, we wouldn't be having this conversation, Rogers."

Steve shook his head, laughing. He walked over to her, putting his arms around her waist and picking her up. "We need to cut you off all together."  
>"No," Bethany said, actually looking terrified. "You wouldn't."<p>

"I will if you continue to act like this," Steve said, putting her down, but not letting her go. "Personally, I can wait. And I thought we were going to be more than just a couple who has sex all the time."

"But it's the _best part!_" Bethany declared passionately as the door opened. "Dr. Streiten!" She called out surprised as Steve released his grip on her.

"Sorry, I should've knocked," the doctor said with a small embarrassed smile. "Director Fury said you were in here Agent Stark, and I wanted a quick word with you before you left."

Steve excused himself, sensing their need to talk privately. "Down the hall and on your left, number 413, that's my office. It should be unlocked, just be careful of Molly," Bethany directed as Steve left. "So what's this about?"  
>"Coulson," Dr. Streiten said simply.<p>

"What about Coulson…" Bethany trailed, not sure what he knew.

"I was there," he elaborated. "I'm the one who administrated the drug. Fury said you had some apprehensions on if what we did was right. And I agree with you. If it was up to me, I wouldn't have made the call."

"It's hard to tell," Bethany said sighing. "I mean, I know what it's like to wish you're dead, and then being grateful that you get another day. Pain is a strange thing. It makes even the simplest of things nonsense."

"It's comforting to know that I'm not the only one questioning the moral ethics," Dr. Streiten explained.

"Saving a man is moral," Bethany concluded. "But I'll never know whether it applies to this situation. Dr. Streiten, I'm actually glad you're here. There's something I need to ask you about."

"Is it personal?"

She nodded. "I read in my medical profile that you did some testing on my cells last year. I was wondering if you'll continue to do so. I-I'm trying to reverse the effects of the serum, but I know next to nothing on my own body. I have Banner's help, but at this point, I need everything I can get."

He nodded contemplatively. "This wouldn't happen to have anything to do with what I saw when I came in, does it?"

Bethany sighed. "Every second he's getting older, and I'm still the same. I want to get married and have kids, and I just feel like this is holding me back. And I know it won't happen overnight, and I'm okay with that. Steve and I still have things to figure out, and I'm not done with SHIELD yet. But I want this option. I can't pass up another life with him."

The doctor paused for a moment before giving her a small smile. "When I first met you Agent Stark, I was terrified of you."

Bethany laughed, "Really? Why?"

"Because everyone in SHIELD knew who you were, but no one in the real world did. You were the embodiment of everything SHIELD is. It was intimidating. And you carried very little emotion with you. But a month with him, and it's changed you completely."

"It's only made me who I was before," Bethany explained. "But does that mean you'll help me?"

He chuckled, walking to the door. "Agent Stark, everyone at SHIELD is dying to work with you in some way or another. It's a _privilege."_

* * *

><p>Steve approved of the apartment immensely. There was an old fashion feel to it that it was comfortable, but had some modern day fixations in it as well. Steve and Bethany's things were in boxes, waiting to be unpacked, Molly jumping on them, biting into the cardboard.<p>

"Home sweet home," Bethany said as she flopped on the couch. "We're moving this by the way. Bad placement."

Steve sat down beside her and nodded. "Anything you want."

"Did Hill tell you when your training begins?" Bethany asked, taking his hand in hers and playing with his fingers.

"Tomorrow at nine," Steve told her. "I'm supposed to meet someone named 'Brock Rumlow'?"

"Oh he's great," Bethany told him, intertwining their fingers together. "Fantastic fighter. The amount of different combat styles he knows is insane. You'll be in good hands. So how does it feel? You're an official SHIELD agent."

"Like I'm a part of something great again," Steve admitted. "Are you going in tomorrow?"  
>She shook her head. "I have some errands to run. I'll actually be flying into New York for a couple hours for Tony's birthday, but I'll be back in time for dinner. You know what would be a good idea?"<p>

"Ordering dinner and watching a movie?" Steve asked, the idea sounding good to himself.

"That's not what I was going to say but _yes_," Bethany said, taking her phone of her pocket. "No, I was thinking we could go out and buy some furniture that we both like. Most of my stuff needs replacing anyways, and this way it'll be like this place is _ours_."

"I like the sound of that," Steve told her with a smile. "What are you ordering?"

"Pizza?" Bethany asked with a shrug. "What kind of movie are you interested in watching tonight? Action? Comedy? Kids?"

"Action," Steve said, getting off the couch and collecting Molly into his arms. "I think I'm ready to crack into that World War Two movie list of yours."

Pressing the phone to her ear, waiting for the pizza place to pick up, she brought her legs up onto the couch. "There's some _insanely_ good movies about the war. It's a make-no-mistake industry. Some of them are violent, but so touchin- Yeah, hi. I'd like to put in an order for four large pepperoni pizzas, the pepperoni _on top_ of the cheese, please, under the name Rogers."

Steve smiled, watching as she used _his_ name, _their _address and much to his pleasure (because he was tired of her paying for everything), _his_ credit card. As his fingers massaged behind Molly's head, her purring loud, he looked out the window.

It was weird permanently living somewhere other than New York, but he understood that it was time for a change. _Everything_ had either changed, or was going to and he would just have to get used to it. Better follow it and embrace the change than fight it. It wasn't all bad. Things were easier, and the food was _a lot_ better.

As she hung up, she let out a long sigh. "They said forty minutes, so we should probably get started on unpacking some of these boxes."

Steve nodded, letting Molly jump away, going to curl up on the couch. "Where should we start?" He asked, holding out his hand to help pull her off the couch.

"Your stuff?" She suggested. "Less of it for starters, and I'm actually curious to what was in storage. Howard handled all of that, so it'll be a real treat."

As they started towards the box clearly marked 'Steve's Things', they began a trip down memory lane. In a long box was Steve's military uniform on a mannequin. Bethany's fingers traced down the buttons, smiling fond in memory. "There was such a class of those days that doesn't exist anymore. How I _loved_ to see men in these. So elegant. Such sophistication. This is going in the bedroom."

Steve didn't fight her, just nodded and open up the next box, chuckling. "Let's hope your brother didn't look in these," he said pulling out his old sketch books, knowing that one or two—okay maybe ten—of the drawings in there were scandalous.

"Do you think Howard personally packed all this?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No, that-that doesn't sound like Howard," Steve agreed with a chuckle, pulling over a chair from the kitchen table and sitting down. He gestured for Bethany to sit on his lap as they opened one of the black leather books, remembering a time of ladies and gentlemen, of pin curls and military suits.

* * *

><p>Watching as Steve's bike zoomed down the street, Bethany quickly left the apartment and made her way to Coulson's temporary place. It took her a while to find it, hidden in typical Fury fashion, but she found it nonetheless. Knocking on his apartment door, Rachel Bradlee opened it.<p>

"Agent Stark," she said, completely surprised.

"I take it Fury didn't tell you I was coming," Bethany said, stepping into the apartment. "How are you?"

"Better than the last time you saw me," Rachel admitted.

Bethany chuckled, remembering the last time she saw the SHIELD nurse and her almost passing out since Bethany was missing not one, not two, but all five of her fingers. Basically her whole hand. Bones took a while to grow back, and while she completed the mission, Fury insisted she wait in the medical ward until her fingers grew back. "Well I'm all in one piece now, so you can relax. Where is he?"

"Down the hall," Rachel pointed. "He's… recovering. Lucky bastard. I can't believe they were able to revive him."

Bethany gave her a small smile, positive that she knew nothing about the Guest House or the drug that SHIELD used on him, as she was only Level 8, and this seemed like a Level 10 priority. There was no way Fury would give her that information at her low level. "What did Fury tell you?"  
>"Just to keep a really close eye on him," Rachel explained with a shrug. "Which is not that surprising. But what is is the fact that he told me that any change at <em>all<em>, not just medical but personality wise I should contact him."

"Post-traumatic stress," Bethany explained. "If we cover the bases as soon as they happen, then it'll be easier to get him through it. I'm kinda on a clock, so I just came to see him quickly."

Rachel nodded, understandingly. "Like I said, just down the hall."

After making her way down the hall, she walked into a room where Coulson was in a bed, watching none other than _Super Nanny_.

"This _again_?" She joked as she stepped in.

Coulson's face immediately lit up. "Bethany! What are you doing here?"

"What does it look like? Finding out how you are. I would've been here sooner," She began sitting on the seat next to his bed. "But I was on vacation. Although that's no excuse. I should've been there when you woke up."

"I'm just happy you_ know_," Coulson added, moving in his bed a little. "Here to bust me out?"

"Not even close," Bethany told him. "You're on bed rest until Fury says otherwise, mister."

"Well at least tell me what's going on at SHIELD."

Bethany began to tell him the little that she knew. "I mean, I just got back yesterday, but I'm under the impression that everything has basically been clean up and containment. I'm itching for an assignment though."

"You been cleared?" He asked, turning the TV on mute.

"I'm not sure actually," Bethany admitted. "But if it was up to me, then yes. I feel fine. Great actually. Better than Dr. Selvig anyways. He's spiraling down the crazy road. And that's coming from _me_."

"But you're good?" Coulson checked.

"It's _me_ who should be worried about _you_," Bethany reminded him. "How are you doing?"

"Besides wanting to leave this bed? I'm good," Phil promised. "But I want to hear about you and Steve."

"Of course you do," Bethany responded with a smirk. "Well, we moved into a new apartment here in DC yesterday. He's officially a member of SHIELD and we spent the last couple weeks talking about what we want from life, and none of it included finishing missions or world peace. Sure, that's clearly something on both of our minds, but it was nice to just focus on what _I _wanted for once."

"I take it you two are on good terms then," Coulson said with a smile. "He's a great guy."

"I know," Bethany said softly. "He's the best. He asked about your funeral and when it was, and it killed me that I had to lie to him and tell him that your family just wanted something private. But if you really did die, he would've been there."

"Did you see what Fury did to my trading cards?" Coulson asked.

Bethany laughed, "Yeah. I'm sorry about that. Where are they?"

Coulson reached over into his bedside table and pulled them out, secure in a tin box. "I spent my entire life collecting these."

"You want to give them to me, and I'll see what I can do?" Bethany suggested. "I'm quite good at getting what I want."

* * *

><p>Phil had graciously let Bethany borrow Lola, his hovercraft car, when she told him she was flying into New York to see Tony. Bethany was honored considering he let her leave with not only his car, but his trading cards, basically the two most important things in Phil's life.<p>

As she crossed the border to New York, she landed the car and made her way to the main roads. She smiled at how smooth the car had flown, as if it was created for that purpose alone. _Oh Howard_, she thought with a wicked grin. _If only you could be here now so I could rub this in your face_.

She turned up the radio, the wind no longer drowning it out. Driving down the busy road, a familiar song played. _"I'm never gonna dance again. Guilty feet have got no rhythm_," She sang along with George Michael. The song had always been a soft spot with her, but she could never help but sing with the beautiful lyrics.

_"I should have known better than to cheat a friend, and waste a chance that I've been given. So I'm never gonna dance again."_

She had promised to teach Steve how to dance. It had been the one thing he asked for in their relationship, something as simple as swaying to the music in each other's arms. Having to fake a foot injury for weeks and their breakup had prevented her from fulfilling her promise. The song spoke to her in so many ways. She never danced with anyone else, since she had been unable to dance with Steve.

And how she used to _love _dancing. Everything had changed after the Pearl Harbour and the war. Dancing didn't seem like such a big deal. Sure, she wouldn't deny a man a dance, but it didn't mean anything more than dancing. In fact, her last dance partner was Bucky, and that clearly went nowhere.

_I…I kissed Bucky_, Bethany realized, stopping at a red light. _I almost slept with him too. _It was so weird, remembering that time, before being exposed to Steve's everything and becoming addicted to him. There was actually a time when she tried to convince everyone, including herself, that she wasn't interested in him Like that was even a possibility. It felt like another life. As if it was someone else completely who experienced all of that and Bethany was watching it on a movie screen.

* * *

><p>"Happy birthday," Bethany said walking into the lab where Tony and Bruce were working… or more like playing as the two men didn't seem to be on the edge of breaking. "I brought you doughnuts and a Whopper, since I don't know what to get a billionaire. Food seemed to be a good way to go."<p>

Tony's face lit up, at the food or Bethany herself, she wasn't sure, but he gracefully took the food she was juggling. "I didn't know you were back."

"Yesterday," Bethany nodded, giving Bruce a small wave. "Steve and I realized we can't be on vacation more than a week without wanting an assignment."

"Dudley Do Right working for SHIELD?" Tony asked before shoving the burger into his mouth.

"Be nice," Bethany scolded. "But yes. And I guess I'm grateful, since as a super soldier, there's no way I could get him to do something simple like an office job. It's better than him enlisting and going off to fight in another war. I brought these for you Bruce."

He waited as she pulled out a huge stack of papers from her bag. "Why do you have _Les Misérables_ in your bag?" Tony asked regarding the stack of papers.

"It's my medical file," Bethany explained as Bruce put on his glasses and picked up the first page. "Or at least, everything relevant to the serum. My actual medical file is probably twice as big."

"I'll start on these right away," Bruce assured her. "Is Fury okay with me seeing these?"

"Yes," Bethany nodded. "He's insisted that a SHIELD doctor also be a part of it, and I've selected Dr. Streiten. He's a very moral individual, something rare itself in an organization like SHIELD. But in a situation like this, that's what I want."

"So you're actually going to get rid of your healing capabilities?" Tony asked, mouth full with a doughnut. "Because that's the coolest thing about you."

"I'm still on the fence. And to be honest, I think Steve is as well. We haven't really talked about it, but there's a certain sense of comfort on not being hurt. Steve doesn't have to worry about me, and I don't have to worry about me. We can get the job done. But…" she trailed off, fingers tapping against the cool metal table. "But I want a family one day. And I want to be able to age with them."

"Here it says that the reason your blood doesn't heal other people is because the regenerative powers lies in your cells," Bruce said, flipping a page. "Have they ever tried using your cells to heal someone else?"

"Yeah, back in '04 actually. But when I'm hurt, it's the cells in my body that are damaged. They don't replicate themselves or anything-"

"Because they just heal instead," Bruce finished. "Okay, well I'll keep looking through this and see where we should start. I'd like to collect some blood and cell samples when the time comes, but for now, I just want to familiarize myself with this."

"You're stealing my friend," Tony whined. "We were working on a new Iron Man suit."

"He was mine first," Bethany reminded him. "I knew him _before_ the Hulk incident."

"My only worry," Bruce said, clearly ignoring the Stark family spat. "Is that I'll bring permanent damage to you trying to undo this. That's something else you'll have to consider."

Bethany nodded. "I know. But what's the point in living my life if I'm stuck in neutral?"

"Is this all because of Ice Cappuccino?" Tony asked, picking up another doughnut. "It's not healthy to change for a guy, Bethany."

"I'm not changing," Bethany explained. "I changed without him. Now I'm just… falling back to where I was."

"Tony, I asked you to pick up- Oh Bethany! You're back!" Pepper said excitedly as she walked into the lab.

"Just yesterday," Bethany answered. "I'm glad I caught you actually. I have a favor to ask of you. It needs to be kept on the down low and ultimately needs to be perfect."

"Sounds like a challenge," Pepper said seriously, before breaking into a smile. "Sign me up."

* * *

><p>If you told Steve that he would be getting a mission within the first week of joining SHIELD, he would've said you were lying. But here he was, dressed in his Captain America suit, shield in hand, following Bethany as they walked into the White House.<p>

So it wasn't a raid or anything. But it was an assignment, and from the sound of it, important. He was glad to help in any way he could, and he wasn't complaining about the company, but was a little more than surprised to be paired with Bethany in the first place. He figured Fury would assign them on different missions.

He was wishing that he was wearing something as casual as Bethany was. Not the black pencil skirt and cream coloured short sleeved blouse, but pants and a button up top. He'd even take his 1940's uniform over the brightly coloured and form fitting Captain America tights. He hadn't really thought about it as Fury presented him with the repaired suit, as it saw more action than it was intended to.

"They'll be able to see you coming," Bethany said with a smirk. "You can't wear that on missions. It's too bright. They'll see you coming a mile away."

"I was just thinking the same thing," Steve admitted. "But I'm not wearing those SHIELD jumpsuits."

"Play around with designs," Bethany said with a shrug. "Make it however you want it to be. Ah, Mr. President."

The President smiled as Steve and Bethany walked up to him. "Good afternoon, Captain Rogers. And Agent...?"

Bethany looked at Steve for a minute before smiling. "Agent Bethany Stark. I'm here as a rep from the Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division."

"SHIELD," Steve explained.

"_Finally_," The President expressed. "I've been trying to get a hold of you guys for _weeks_."

"We've been a little… preoccupied. But I've been sent to clear up anything you, your board and the people need to know. Well, anything you're _authorized_ to hear."

"Call a press conference," The President said to the man beside him. "I want it set up in less than an hour. As for us," he said gesturing between himself, Bethany and Steve. "We're going to have a little talk."

* * *

><p>After an hour, the President satisfied with what Steve and Bethany told him, the press conference was set up. "Who will be speaking?"<p>

"I will," Bethany said automatically. "I also would like to use this time to discuss another matter, Mr. President. It's relevant, I promise. And evidently the people want to know."

"By all means," he said, leading them out to the stage. He briefly spoke to the selected crowd, all with cameras and microphones while Bethany tapped her toe.

"You don't have to do this now," Steve told her.

"No, I do. If I don't, I'll never get the courage to do it again. A new start, right?"

"Right," Steve said, giving her a comforting smile. "And whatever happens in result, I'll be here."

"I know you will," Bethany answered lovingly as she was called up to the podium.

Standing in front of all the reporters, she almost lost her nerve. But like she told Steve, it was now or never. She spent too many years in the shadows. "Good afternoon," she began with. "I've been sent to answer as many questions regarding the attack on New York that occurred a few weeks back, as many things still haven't been answered. The public _does_ deserve to know a lot of what happened, but too much knowledge in the open could result in problems. Before I do this, I would like to introduce myself."

She took in a deep breath, looking to Steve momentarily for assurance. "My name is Bethany Elizabeth Stark. Not only was I a part of the battle, but also in the group known as the Avengers. I'm not a superhero. There's been a lot of speculation about me, about who I am and where I came from. At first, I didn't want to tell anyone. My life story isn't exactly the ideal, but I've come to realize that it's time to step away from who I _was_ and into who I want to be. So here we go…

"Yes, my last name is Stark. And _yes_, I'm related to Tony Stark. But he's not my brother, or a cousin. He's my nephew." She took in a deep breath as the press began to shift, clearly intrigued. "I was born on August 13th, 1920."

The bulbs of cameras flashed, reporters jumping from their spot, all shouting questions. Bethany couldn't help but smile a little. It felt _great _to come clean. "My brother Howard and I were recruited to join the SSR and help with the super soldier program," she said over the reporters, them calming down as soon as they realized she had more to share. "During one of the stages of the serum, I subjected myself to it, and as result gained regenerative powers, which is how I stand before you now, looking no older than I did the day I took the serum."

"Can it heal other people?" One reporter asked.

"Is it possible to replicate it?" Another shouted.

"No," Bethany responded. "There's still a lot of questions in regard to the serum that runs inside me, but it doesn't possess the capabilities to heal anyone but myself. And just like the successful super soldier serum, no one has been able to replicate. At least, to my knowledge."

"Why keep this from us?" A blond reporter questioned, clearly trying to turn everything against her.

"Because people like me, people who are different, are exposed. But now, I have a group of freaks that I can relate to, and if they're okay with being known, than so am I."

"Are you referring to the Avengers?" One guy asked, a chuckle in his tone.

"Unfortunately, yes," Bethany said, earning her a chuckle from the room. "I'm not a member of the team by selection. I was merely there because everyone in that group is close to me. My nephew, my friends, my… well, my boyfriend."

Another round of people jumping up asking questions. Bethany shook her head amused, taking in the selection of questions. "For someone like me, it's hard to find someone with similar life experiences. Captain Rogers and I have known each other for years. In fact, I was present during his transformation. We were together briefly during 1944, but spilt due to… differences. But years of maturing on my behalf, and we're on the same page again. The reason why I'm telling you this is because I'm asking for our privacy. We've been through a lot, together and apart, and while we know that we can't ignore our past, we can't let other people dictate our future. Now, this is all I have to say on my personal life. I'm ready to answer any questions about the attack on New York."

* * *

><p><strong>**AN: So ****_Careless Whisper_**** is by George Michael, but if you want to treat yourself to a 1930's rendition, I would suggest Post Modern Jukebox. I listen to all their music when I write, since it puts me in the right frame of mind. It's today's hits in retro styles- what's cooler than that?  
>I'm also going to see Cap 2 again today and since I'm basically done school, it'll inspire me to right more.<strong>

**I know a lot of you are excited to read about what happens during _Winter Soldier _with Bethany, but I feel that if I cover that too soon, then I won't know what to write while we wait for _Age of Ultron_.  
><strong>

**Kadienewberg: I've allowed myself to think of Steve and Bethany as parents once or twice, and Bethany is very much like the mom from ****_The Incredibles_****. She won't be putting up with nuthin'.**

**Layla347: I'm really excited to start writing that, but I'm gonna wait just a little bit longer. I will be hinting at it ****_a lot_**** though.**

**FeliciaFelicis: No problem at all! You can only study so much for English, and then for this update, Canadian History (literally the majority of this class was just WWII. I didn't even have to do the readings.)**


	27. Chapter 27

****A/N: I've been waiting to do this chapter for months. Fluff, smut, and some ice cream. Alludes to ****_Winter Soldier_**** plot.**

**Also, time gaps.**

Chapter 27

_June 30th, 2012_

"What kind do you want?" Steve asked as Bethany held the shopping list in her hand.

"Well last time you refused to try the kind I pick-"

"Sour cream and onion," Steve reminded her. "Who eats that?"

Bethany sighed, crossing her arms. "Lots of people, Steve. Just get the classic."

Steve did as she said, throwing the bag of chips into the shopping cart. They had been at the store for almost an hour, most of the food in their cart being non-perishable since within the month following Steve joined SHIELD, they had barely spent any time at their apartment. A lot of Bethany's things were still in boxes, and they had only had time to order a new bed and couch.

"What else is on the list?" Steve asked, looking over her shoulder.

"Milk, feminine products, shampoo, razors," Bethany listed, handing him the list. "Hey Steve?"

"Yeah?" He asked looking up from the list. "What's wrong?"  
>She pointed to a little boy, who was staring at them intently. "That kid has been staring at you for the last five minutes."<p>

"Well, that man pretending to read the nutrition facts on the back of the cookies has been following us for the last twenty minutes, staring at you."

"That's more stalker like than cute," Bethany said, giving a quick look to the man in question. "At least there's no reporters."

"That we know of," Steve said softly, thinking back to two weeks prior when they were out at a local cemetery, Steve paying his respects, Bethany supporting him in any way she could. Photos of them had surfed the web that night, and it rubbed Steve the wrong way. There were some things that deserved privacy and that was one of them.

"I can see the headline now; _Captain America buys tampons at local grocery store_," Bethany teased.

"You seem awfully chipper for someone who values her privacy," Steve said, pushing the cart down the aisle.

"Yeah, well…" She said with a shrug. "It's been a crazy month, with mission, long nights in a lab, the paparazzi and my identity being known, but… I'm happy. I feel free. It's weird to think that it was holding me back."

"Do you have any plans tonight?" He asked as they moved into the next aisle. "I feel like we haven't seen each other longer than a couple hours since the beginning of the month, unless we're at work."

"I know," Bethany said, pushing her long bangs out of her face. "But yeah. I'm yours all night."

Steve smiled at that, fully aware that they hadn't gone to sleep together once during the month. Either one of them would be away, or both of them. Then sometimes Steve would come home late and Bethany would already be asleep, or Bethany would come home late and Steve would be asleep.

And ever since announcing their relationship to the public, they hadn't really been acting much like one. They spent as much time together as they could, but with no dates, and their make out sessions always being interrupted, Natasha joked they were like an old washed up married couple.

"Are we watching a movie?" He asked, stopping and looking at the pasta sauces.

"Depends what… happens," Bethany said with a flirtatious tone. "Oh. Wait, no. We have to go through some old photos and videos for the Smithsonian."

Steve held back his groan, just nodding. "What about next week?"

"I have plans," Bethany said casually. "I'll be in and out all week. We need three jars of sundried tomato sauce."

Steve followed her orders once again, studying her carefully. "All week? You sure you won't be able to spare some time on Wednesday?"

"If I have time," Bethany said, gesturing with her head that they were done in this aisle. "I got another angry phone call from Peggy this morning. We'll have to drop in on her soon. If you're up to it at least."

"Well, after going through some of those photos," Steve began, pushing the cart. "I think I'm ready. What about you? How is this walk down memory lane treating you?"

She stopped him, touching his arm lightly, giving him a loving smile. "Steve, I'm perfect. I promise. Now, the sooner we finish this list, the sooner we can go home."

* * *

><p>Bethany picked up an old photo of her and Howard. Her blond hair was pulled out of her face, her finger waves perfect, smile large and eyes bright even in black and white. Howard's arm was thrown around her and he was in mid-laugh.<p>

"He used to joke that I was adopted," Bethany told Steve, taking a bite of her balsamic chicken. "We couldn't look any different. He had brown hair and brown eyes, me with blond and green. And our parents had dark features too. Apparently I'm a spitting image of my great grandma, though."

"Is that going in the approval pile?" Steve asked, smiling at the photo.

"I guess," Bethany said, but still holding onto the photo. The museum wanted to open a Captain America exhibit, and after some thought, Steve agreed to it. Since then, videos, photos and books were sent to their apartment for them to go through and either agree or disagree with. Bethany had also pulled out some old albums, ready to share her story along with Steve's.

"You okay?" Steve asked, for what Bethany felt was the millionth time that day.

"Yeah," she said with a small smile. "Just thinking about Howard. Do you want some more chicken?"

"Yes please," Steve answered, watching her carefully again. He couldn't help but constantly ask if she was okay, but he could see that she was. She was balancing everything perfectly. Bringing his plate back over, Steve dug in. "This is amazing, by the way. Thank you."  
>"You don't have to thank me everytime I make you food," Bethany told him with a chuckle.<p>

"I want you to know I appreciate it," Steve explained.

"Every day for the rest of our lives though?" Bethany said, settling next to him and picking up a pile of photos that belonged to the SSR.

"Why not?" Steve asked, putting another piece of chicken into his mouth.

"Well, you're welcome," She told him, looking at a photo of Steve before the serum. "Look how adorable you were."

"Glad someone thought so," Steve said after swallowing. "Hey, I've never seen this before."

Bethany turned her attention to the picture Steve had in his hand. "Me either. And a lot of photos of us have surfaced this month."

It was of Steve carrying Bethany bridal style, her shoe in one hand. They were casually talking to each other, but their profiles revealed that they were both laughing. "When was this taken?"

"After your solo mission," Bethany said. "Remember how my shoe got stuck in the mud? I didn't know anyone took pictures of us then."

"You think we would've noticed," Steve responded. "It wasn't as conspicuous as it is today."

"I guess we were just distracted," Bethany said with a shrug, looking back at the SSR pile. She broke out into laughter as she found a picture of her and Peggy staring blindly at a freshly emerged Steve Rogers, shirtless, packing and sweating. "This is going in the 'no' pile, but I wanna get it framed."

Steve chuckled at it as well, taking it from her hands. "Doll, you're gapping like a fish."

"Peggy is too," Bethany pointed out. "You want to get started on the videos?"  
>"Just let me finish this chicken," Steve said. "Then we can get in bed and cuddle up."<p>

She shook her head, smiling. "I was wrong. You're _still_ adorable."

* * *

><p><em>July 2<em>_nd__, 2012_

"Look who's on the cover of Time magazine," Natasha said as Bethany sat at her office desk, typing away.

"_Captain America's return to America_," Bethany quoted, not looking up. "I know. They sent a copy over to us last week before it went into printing."

"There's a bunch of photos of the two of you in here," Natasha said, opening it to show her. "I thought SHIELD buried these."

"So did I," Bethany said with a shrug. "But I don't care. Really. I've completed five assignments, and they've all gone smoothly."

"You look good as a blond," Natasha said, pointing to one photo of Bucky, Steve and her. "I mean, as good as a blond girl in a black and white photo can get. Do you ever miss it?"

"What? The blond hair?" Bethany said, finishing her report and shutting off the computer screen,

"No," Natasha said, pulling up a chair. "The good old days."

"I wouldn't constitute World War Two as 'the good old days'," Bethany responded. "But… yeah. I miss Howard, Bucky and Peggy. I miss the five of us talking about everything and nothing. But the past is the past and I can't go back. All I can do is focus on the life I have now, and how good it is."

"And it's good?"

Bethany nodded. "Yeah. It's been a busy couple of weeks, but it's good."

"And how's the mister?" Natasha asked with a smirk.

Bethany leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. "Off on a mission. He left last night."

"How's home life? Getting tired of him yet?"

Bethany shook her head. "You'd think so, but we've barely seen each other. There's always something to do. Makes being abstinent a whole lot easier."

Natasha gave a small chuckle. "One question; how is it that you got the church boy to have pre-marital sex in the first place? Was it like that scene from _Grease 2_? The 'Do it for our Country' song? 'Cause I could see him going for that."  
>Bethany took out her phone and added <em>Grease<em> to the list of movies she wanted Steve to watch. "No, actually. It was… it happened before we could really think about it. I guess a lot of sexual tension, lust and matter of circumstance got to us. We just kissed and it… it happened."

"I have a hard time believing that two virgins kissed and just had sex," Natasha said, giving Bethany a pointed look. As Bethany avoided her gaze, Natasha gasped. "You weren't a virgin?"

"I wasn't exactly the ideal girl in the 1940s, no. But Steve clearly didn't care about it then or now," She said casually.

"And what about now? How's your night life?"

"Why are you and Clint so interested in my sex life?" She asked, rolling her eyes. "That's the only thing he wants to talk about."

"Because it's more interesting than talking about work all the time," Natasha explained. "Now, spill."

"There's nothing to spill," Bethany answered. "You're right. We're _exactly_ like an old married couple."  
>"But the magic is still there?"<p>

"The magic isn't going anywhere," Bethany said with a smile. "It's good. It's… comforting to know it's more than just the physical stuff. I mean, it's only been a little more than a month, but I would be happy with it for the rest of my life."

"You, Steve and… SHIELD?" Natasha said, leaning forward. "Because if you and Steve do get married and live happily ever after, do you really think he'll let you stay in SHIELD?"

"There's a lot to work out," Bethany responded with a sigh. "But one step at a time."

_"Agent Stark, Director Fury wants to see you," _a female voice rang through the comm.

"Duty calls," Bethany sighed, getting out of her chair. "By the way, how's Clint doing? I haven't seen him around lately."

"He's still on leave of absence," Natasha revealed as they left the office together. "He says he's okay, but I don't know how much he's just saying and how much is true."

"I'm sure in given time he'll come clean and more importantly, heal."

"Everyone at SHIELD is surprised that you've healed so quickly," Natasha said. "They figured with your past mental illnesses that-"

"I'm aware of what everyone thought," Bethany answered. "But evidently, because of it I was able to heal quicker. I don't know what to say Natasha. Or how to explain it. But I'm tired of having to explain myself. I'm _fine_."

Natasha gave her one curt nod before Bethany stepped into the elevator and made her way up into Fury's office. When she arrived, he was sitting behind his desk, looking at his computer screen. "Afternoon, Agent."

"Sir," Bethany said, standing in front of him. "You wanted to see me?"

"The World Security Council has approved Project Insight," Fury stated simply. Bethany sighed, nodding. "Is there something you would like to say, Stark?"

"The idea and putting this into practice is two different things," Bethany reminded him. "Yes, it'll keep people safe, but at what cost? People walking on eggshells? Killing people before they have even committed the crime? Not all people who make bad decisions are bad people, Nick."

"You've been spending too much time with Rogers," Fury said, standing up from his chair. "Look, the leaders of this organization have all agreed that we need to ensure safety, and sometimes to do that means compromising. This will help people be safe. I'm not telling you of this for your approval, just for your knowledge."

"I know," Bethany informed him. "And I'm just telling you what I feel. What I think."

"Three months ago, you wouldn't have," Fury reminded her.

"Three months ago my opinion probably would have reflected yours. I know I can't get in the way of this. I'm not going to stop it, but I don't want to be involved. I hope you can respect that, Director."

Fury sighed, his head bowed. "If that's how you feel, Agent."

"Thank you sir. Anything else?"

"Yes, we made contact with Captain Rogers' team a while ago. The mission is going as plan and they should be returning tonight. Seems that they've encountered an 0-8-4, so you'll have to go over that paperwork-"

"Sir, I've requested tomorrow and the day after off," Bethany reminded him.

"Upon your return," Fury directed before dismissing her.

* * *

><p><em>July 3<em>_rd__, 2012_

Steve returned home to an empty apartment. His SHIELD mission came to a close late the night before, and he decided to spend the night at one of the beds at the Triskelion to not wake Bethany up. But it was only him in the apartment, the last of the boxes unpacked. Moving over to the kitchen table, he looked at the organized piles Bethany made to dictate which of the old photos were to be used in the museum exhibition and which were not to be.

On top of one pile was an envelope with his name on it. Picking it up, he began to read the letter, already a small smile on his face at the fact that Bethany spent the time to write him a little opposed to texting. It made a real difference.

_Steve,_

_ Fury told me that the mission was a success and that you came back last night. There's food in the fridge if you're hungry (fine, you're always hungry, but you catch my meaning) and I'll be back home late tonight/early tomorrow. Don't wait up. If you have time, can you do a load of laundry? I'd appreciate it. _

_Don't forget to feed the kid._

_Love you lots,_

_Beth_

Steve read the note a second and third time, admiring the swirl of the 'k' on the word 'kid'. They began to call Molly that a couple weeks back after hearing a woman referring to her dog as her son. At first Steve said it was mean to make fun of her, but it caught on and now they were just like the woman, and they didn't care.

He was a little disappointed that she was going to be out of the apartment all day, but the promise of being there tomorrow morning at the very least brought him happiness. Bethany hadn't said anything about his birthday, and Steve wasn't sure how to bring it up. He didn't mind, as long as he got to see her. Taking out the leftovers from the fridge, he put it in the oven, going to do the laundry.

* * *

><p>After going out and buying some fruits and vegetables to stock up the fridge, he made his way back to his apartment, two steps at a time. Taking his keys out, he went to unlock it only to realize it was already unlocked. <em>I'm pretty sure… I locked it, didn't I?<em> Steve thought as he cautiously opened the door.

"Beth?" He called, wondering if she had come home earlier than anticipated. Instead, he was met with a Tony Stark in a perfectly tailored black suit. "Stark? What are you doing here?"

"Picking you up," Tony said. "Put those bags away, we're going out."

"You came all the way from New York to spend time with me?" Steve said, not buying his story.

"Don't act all surprised, Ice Age. Plus, I was taking the new suit out for a test run. Dressed… in my best tux Like I usually do..." Tony threw back. "We're going out to have some fun-some 21st century fun, and that's that."

Steve rose his eyebrows, waiting for more. "You and me… are going out..?"

Tony just took a sip of the cup in his hand. "Yup."

"And do I have to dress like that?" Steve asked, raising one hand, bag still in his grasp, at his tuxedo.

"Nope," Tony said. "Chop chop. Let's get going."

"But… why?" Steve asked, moving to the kitchen to start putting the food away.

"'Cause I'm a good guy," Tony said, only to be met with a skeptical look from Steve. "Okay, Pepper suggested we bonded since she doesn't see you and Bethany breaking up anytime soon."

Putting the last of the food away, Steve leaned against the fridge, arms crossed. "No wise cracks?"

Tony stood there, looking to be struggling with committing to this before finally saying "Fine. But I get to choose the bar."

* * *

><p>"What is this place?" Steve asked as they stepped out of the limo Tony insisted they take. They had been on the road for a while, but the tinted windows plus the dark sky didn't help Steve trying to figure out where they were. He wasn't even sure they were still in DC.<p>

The bar looked pretty rundown, a complete opposite of what Steve was expecting for Tony's standards. The paint showing the title of the bar was so worn out that Steve wasn't sure what it was called, but as Tony strode forward and into the bar, Steve followed without question.

"Tony-" he began, but stopped completely as the view of the inside of bar came into his view. The dim lights were nothing like the bright fluorescents of this time, but reminded Steve of the yellow ones of his. Not only that, but there was a quiet hum of people's conversations mixed with the soft sounds of an old Louis Armstrong song. "What's… what's going on?" Steve asked slowly, watching as men and women, dressed in 1940's attire, swayed on the dance floor.

"Happy birthday, Captain Rogers," He heard from beside him. He turned, jaw dropping as he watched Bethany swaying towards him. She was wearing a dress that reminded him of Rita Hayworth's lace dress in _You Were Never Lovelier,_ except in black and cutting off at her knee. Her lips were a dark, daring shade of red and her cheeks rosy with rouge. But what caught Steve off guard the most was her hair, now back to its original blond shade, it's bouncy curls and finger waves.

"You-you look… Beth?" He stuttered as she stopped in front of him with a shy smile. "What's going on?"

"Well," she began pushing a curl behind her ear, her earrings shimmering. "Tomorrow is your birthday, but with all the Fourth of July celebrations going on, I thought we could celebrate a couple hours earlier."

"But… why this?" He said, first touching a curl and then gesturing all around.

"Because I made you a promise," Bethany explained. "I told you I'd teach you to dance."

Steve could feel his heart soar, a smile curling at his lips. "So you did all of this?"

"I wanted it to be perfect," She told him, moving a hand to his neck and pulling him down for a chaste kiss. "But something isn't right."

"Everything looks perfect to me," Steve told her, wrapping his arms around her. "Even the cigarette smell."

"I think she means this, Captain," Pepper said coming up beside them, holding his military uniform up.

Steve took it, touching the fabric softly. "There's a bathroom right down there," Bethany told him with a smile. He nodded, leaning down to kiss Bethany one more time before leaving.

"Thank you Tony," Bethany said as Steve disappeared. She pulled him in for a hug. "And you too Pepper. I couldn't have done this without you."

"You're welcome," Pepper said with a smile. "Plus, this was fun."

"Can I have my phone back now?" Tony asked, crossing his arms.

"No," Pepper reprimanded. "There were no cell phones back in 1944. You can go _one_ night without advanced technology, Tony."

"It's open bar though," Bethany reminded him as Pepper walked off to do some last minute reviews of the room. "Maybe you'll drink enough to help you sleep tonight. Those bags under your eyes have their own bags. You okay, kid?"

"Just been up tinkering, that's all," Tony told her, leaning against the bar table. "Been working on perfecting some new suits. Nothing out of the ordinary. Now go. Enjoy your night. You've only waited 68 years for this."

Bethany gave him a small smile, mixed between gratitude and sympathy before walking over to the dance floor, smiling fully at the image in front of her. The pin curls and finger waves, the ties and coifed hair. Everything was perfect. The only thing that was missing was Peggy, Howard and Bucky, but she couldn't do much to remedy that.

"May I have this dance?" She heard from behind her. She turned to see Steve looking as handsome as ever in the brown military issued suit. "That's-that's the first time I've ever said that."

"And how did it feel?" She asked moving to fix his tie.

"Depends on what you say," Steve told her with a small smile.

"Lead the way, Captain," she told him with a soft smile on her face.

As they made their way to the center of the floor, Bethany directed Steve where to put his hands. "It's really quite easy," Bethany started to explain. "All you do is sway, step side to side, occasionally forward and backwards and just _flow_."

The song changed to Peggy Lee's _The Way You Look Tonight _and Steve swallowed his fears and began to sway. "This okay?"

"Stop looking at your feet," Bethany instructed. "Look at me. And don't worry about stepping on my feet. Just flow."

His movements were apprehensive as they moved slowly, Steve building up the courage to take the lead. Bethany let him get comfortable, singing softly with the music. "It's our song," she told him during the musical interlude.

"I know," he told her, still concentrating hard on not trotting on her toes.

"Relax," she chuckled. "This is supposed to be fun, not stressful."

As the song ended and another one began, Steve slowly began more and more comfortable and their movements became bigger, more fluent. Steve even spun her out courageously, feeling a sense of accomplishment as Bethany broke out into a fit of laughter, her smile reaching her eyes. "There you go! See, a real natural."

"This _is _fun," Steve said, dipping her. As she came back up, her curls bouncing, he couldn't help but lean down for a kiss. "I still can't believe you did all of this."

"You deserve it."

"Your hair," Steve said, his hand from her hip moving to pull one of the curls before it returned to it's place. "You didn't have to change it for me."

"It's time for a new start, remember?" Bethany said. "The dark hair… it was to hide who I was, and gradually became a symbol of the dark cloud looming over my life. I don't feel that way anymore. And the roots I got every two months were driving me insane. I'm happy I made this change."

"You look so beautiful," Steve assured her. "Not that you didn't before, it's just… Beth, you're glowing."

"Good," she told him, tilting her head slightly. "Maybe finally you'll see just how okay I am. That all of my dark past is behind me, and while it'll never be wiped clean, I'm going to try and remedy it. Starting with fulfilling my promises. You hungry?"

"Is it 1940's food?" Steve asked, his nose scrunching a little.

Bethany giggled, shaking her head, her golden strands dancing about. "Pepper and I went on for days trying to decide, but since you've taken a liking to today's food, we agreed that it's better to please you over staying with the theme."

"How about one more dance?" Steve asked, not really wanting to leave the dance floor even if he was close to starvation mode.

"Whatever you want," Bethany assured him. "We could do this all night if you want."  
>"Maybe not all night," Steve said, kissing her forehead. "But pretty close to it."<p>

* * *

><p>It was past after midnight when they returned to their apartment. Despite dancing for hours, neither of them was even close to being ready to sleep. No, after hours of holding each other close, Steve feeling more love for her than he ever thought possible and Bethany feeling more like herself than she had in a really long time, they were both wide awake.<p>

"Who knew a new hairstyle could make someone feel so good," Bethany said, looking at the mirror by the front door. "I feel great."

"You look great," Steve told her, his arms circling around her waist, pulling her back against his chest. "You smell great too."

Bethany chuckled lightly as his head dipped to the curve of her neck, his lips making sweet contact. She leaned into him, eyes fluttering shut as he lightly nipped at the skin. "And how do I taste?"

"Pretty great," Steve murmured against her skin, giving her sweet spot a passionate kiss.

A long, appreciative moan escaped her lips as she leaned against him. She moved her hands to his neck, one into his hair and giving it a small tug, bringing his head to her lips. Soon she could taste her lipstick on Steve's lips, their tongues touching lightly as she turned around in his arms.

Her hands slid down his body, unbuttoning his jacket and pushing it off his arms. Steve let out a low moan as her teeth tugged at his bottom lip. He quickly broke apart, looking down at Bethany's swollen lips, the red lipstick staining the areas around her mouth. "What's wrong?" She asked, lust and worry deep in her eyes.

"What about the chances of you getting pregnant?" Steve whispered, the idea of speaking louder than he was would be disturbing the moment.

"Today has been a busy day," Bethany told him, pushing away one of the golden strands of his hair back into his wave. "We'll be perfectly safe."

They said nothing as Bethany slowly backed herself up against a wall and Steve placed his hands on her waist. Slowly, he dipped his head down to kiss her, her fingers slowly undoing his tie. Their kisses started off tenderly, then casually built up into more passion. Her hands went around his neck, playing with the little wisps of hair, savoring every touch.

He lowered his lips to her neck while her fingers moved down his body to unbutton his shirt. Steve picked her up and brought her the bedroom, placing her delicately on the bed and throwing his shirt away. She laid there, longing in her eyes as he began to trace the curves of her body. Sitting up and turning so her back was to him, he pulled all her hair to one shoulder and started to undo the dress and watch as it slid down. As Steve sat on the bed, Bethany stood up to let the dress fall to her feet, leaving her in her undergarments. Placing her hands on his shoulders and kissing him tenderly, her fingers traced his chest and arms. Steve put his hands on her hips and absent mindedly ran his hands up and down. His fingers hitched into the side of her underwear, pulling them off her full hips and round bottom.

She turned around and went to lie on the bed as he stripped of his ever tightening pants. The room was fairly dark, but he could make out Bethany's silhouette, petite and pale and she could make out Steve' now naked, sculpted body making its way to lie beside her. Side by side, their lips joined again and Steve let his hands outline her. He found the swell of her breast and traced it. Bethany couldn't help but moan into his mouth and had to squeeze her legs together. He moved his lips back to her neck, caressing over her sweet spot, down her shoulders and onto her chest as his hands moved up and down her thighs. Each kiss sparked excitement in both of them. He moved his kisses down onto her stomach as she held onto his hair and panted in pleasure. At her hipbone, he kissed down to the inside of her thigh where Bethany jumped a little in gratification. He smirked in satisfaction as his kisses went down to her knee and back up her thigh and to her mouth again. His fingers ghosting lightly over her behind and then pulling her closer to him. Bethany let out a whimper, her fingers digging into his arms lightly.

She pushed him onto his back and sat herself onto his stomach, leaning down to kiss every part of his chest. She reached behind her back, unclasping her bra and throwing it aside as her lips moved to his neck, sucking and nipping in exploration. "Beth…" Steve whispered.

His fingers moved from their position on her waist and she let out a pleasured moan as he began to feel her folds. Moving his fingers back up, her legs twitched when he hit that certain spot. He began to circle it, and Bethany could feel the fire burn deep within her.

"Steve," she gasped lightly, an indication that she needed him. He didn't hesitate as he shifted their position, moving her to lay on the bed, him hovering over her. His dog tags, which Pepper had placed in his suit pocket, dangling down and onto her chest. Steve's fingers caressed her face, him laying a soft kiss on her forehead as her legs spread in anticipation.

"Are we using a condom?" He asked, some strands of his blond hair tickling her forehead. She shook her head, it rolling to the side, as Steve lowered his lips to the curve of her neck. Shifting only slightly, he slowly pushed himself into her, letting out a low moan at the pleasure of being home with no barriers in between them.

Bethany gave a strangled moan, her body remembering him, but taking longer to accommodate. Her forehead creased a little, and as Steve felt the tenseness of her body, and held himself in place, letting out a deep sigh. "You okay?" He let out quietly, trying to ignore the desire to move.

"I never thought I'd be like a virgin again," she said with a light chuckle, wiggling under him, trying to find the most comfortable position. "Just-just another minute."

"I'll wait," Steve told her, trying to hold back his grunt. "You were patient with me all those years ago. I can be patient now."

Bethany captured his lips again, her fingers treading through his hair. "I love you," she whispered onto his lips.

"I love you too," he said against her lips. "So much."

Letting out a deep breath of air, it catching a couple of times, she slowly nodded and set the leisurely pace. Steve following her instructions, slowly moving out and back in, caught in the feeling of pure bliss. He placed his head in the crook of Bethany's neck and kissed her repeatedly there while he casually picked up the pace.

The pain was slowly fading away like a lost memory and euphoria was taking over. Wrapping one of her hands around Steve's neck, the other wandered up and down his back, her legs encircled his waist. In that moment, she had never felt safer.

The air became hot and muggy, and she listened as both her and Steve's breathing picked up. He stopped kissing her neck and attacked her lips again, igniting the most hunger-filled kiss they ever had, both of them moaning in appreciation. Bethany felt as though her entire body was tingling with sensation and quietly begged Steve to go faster. She didn't have to ask him twice, his thrusts moving faster and harder, only brief glimpses of pain overtaking her, but not enough that it wasn't enjoyable. They were completely aware of every sense, every moan and every rewarding sigh.

Bethany could feel herself reaching the end, her body tensing up. All the telltale signs of being unable to keep a steady rhythm, her toes clenching and the desire to hold her breath overtook her. Steve's hold on her became tighter, them almost molding into one person completely. He wasn't exactly sure where he started and where she ended, but he would be fine never knowing.

His name slipped through her lips, almost like a prayer. So soft, so delicate and dripping with devotion. "Yes, doll face?" He asked, although he already knew what she wanted.

"So… close," she told him, gripping onto him tightly, as if he was the only thing keeping her from floating away. "I-I love you," she said in between gasps, letting out a series of moans. At that moment, nothing mattered. It was just the two of them. Everything in the world was perfect. As her orgasm rocked through her body, legs twitching, breathing hitched and unable to make sense of who she was, Steve gave into his own.

As they fell from their highs, bodies still sensitive and exhausted, they just laid there, panting. Bethany felt as Steve became soft in her, but made no move to separate. Both were covered in a sheen coat of sweat. Steve, his hair wildly sticking up in some places, matted to his head in others, kissed Bethany's collar bone.

"Say it again," He whispered again her skin.

Bethany smiled and kissed the top of his head, "You'll never get tired of it, will you?"  
>"Never," he promised, giving a long suck on the sweet spot of her shoulder.<p>

"I love you, Steve," she said, mocking him slightly. He went to roll off her, but she quickly wrapped her limbs around him, holding him in place.

"Ow," Steve said, it not really hurting, but surprised at her strength. "70 years of working for SHIELD has had its benefits."

"You have no idea," she told him with a smirk.

"Any plans on letting go?" Steve asked, brushing some hair from her face.

She pretended to think about it, before saying "nope" and popping the p with it. "Just stay right here for a little longer," she pleaded.

"After everything tonight," Steve said, tracing the side of her face. "I'll do whatever you want."

"Oh hey, happy birthday," Bethany said, looking at the clock. They stayed like that, silently, for minutes on end, not needing words. Bethany traced every defined part of Steve' arms and back, his hair brushing against her face. There was a perfect sense of peace around them, not needing anything else but each other in that moment.

* * *

><p><em>July 4, 2012<em>

Steve woke up to Bethany's fingers tracing the chain of his dog tags. "You're up early," he mumbled, letting out a yawn.

"I couldn't sleep," Bethany admitted.

"You need to talk about it?" Steve asked, worry laced into his words.

"No," she told him, smiling. "It wasn't dreams or anything. I spent the night just thinking about good things. And around five, Molly came in and kept me company. Plus, you're adorable when you sleep."

"Bucky used to say I snore," Steve said sheepishly. "And on occasion talked."

Taking one last look at the dog tags, Bethany's hand laid flat against his chest. "No snoring. You've only woken me up once by snoring, but we overslept anyways. But you were mumbling in your sleep. I'm not sure what you said exactly, but it was endearing. Oh, I still have to give you your gift!"

"You didn't have to get me anything," Steve said watching as she slipped from his embrace, picking up her silk robe from the end of the bed, throwing it on and then making her way to the closet.

"It's your birthday, of _course_ I had to get you something," Bethany said, getting on her knees and throwing some clothes off the bottom of the floor. "I hid it here hoping you wouldn't find it. Ah, there it is."

He watched as she struggled momentarily, then picked up the large box and brought it to him. He peeled off the paper, looking at one of the moving boxes from the month before. Pulling the flaps open, Steve smiled looking at the contents stuffed into the box. He pulled out two books on World War Two, a signed Billy Herman baseball and a record player.

"I wasn't sure what to get you," Bethany admitted.

"This is perfect," Steve told her. "Thank you."

"Tony also got you something," Bethany said, pulling a box out from under the bed. "Although, I'd open it with caution. Pepper said she didn't have time to approve it before he left with it, so it could be anything."

Steve took the box and opened it slowly, expecting a pie to be thrown in his face. Instead, he pulled out a stack of old magazines that he instantly recognized. "Yank, the Army Weekly magazines?" He asked plopping the stack on his legs.

"That's… considerate?" Bethany tried, surprised that Tony gave Steve a little piece of his past.

Steve sighed, opening the first magazine and flipping through the pages until he found what he was looking for; a pin up poster that was in each of the magazines. "You sure about that?"

Bethany gasped, taking the magazine in her grasp. "Is _this_ why these were so popular?!"

Steve flipped through the pile, but frowning as he reached the end of the Yank issues and stumbled upon a magazine that read 'PLAYBOY. Entertainment for Men'. "Um, Beth?"

Her attention turned from the pin up girl to what Steve was referring to. "Oh god, I'm going to kill him."

Steve just put them all back in the box, sighing. "It's the thought that counts," Steve told her.

"I feel like he's insulting you with this," Bethany explained.

"It's okay," Steve said, pulling her in for a quick kiss. "Can I make you some breakfast?"

"It's _your_ birthday," Bethany reminded him.

"Yes, but after last night and this morning, I'd like to do this for you," Steve told her, pushing some hair behind her ears. "Now, what do you want?"

* * *

><p>Bethany dragged Steve around town all day. First, the Nationals' baseball game, then around to more than one festivities around the city and then to watch the fireworks. Steve was impressed by how unnoticed they went that day. Bethany had pulled a blue baseball cap on top of Steve's head, which shaded his facial features enough for people to look over him.<p>

Plus people were probably looking for him with a brunette, not a blond. Bethany had pulled her hair into a ponytail, the curls bouncing in that way Steve always loved. She had a big pair of sunglasses covering her face, and was wearing a red, blue and white flower printed sun dress. Throughout the day, they weren't Captain America and expert SHIELD agent, but just a couple having fun on America's birthday.

As they walked home that night, Bethany laid her head against Steve's bicep. "So, how was your birthday?"

"Fantastic," Steve told her, wrapping her arm around her. "Thank you."

"This can really happen, can't it?" Bethany said, looking up at him with a smile. "Having a normal life outside of work?"  
>"Looks that way," Steve responded, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "Hey, Beth? Can I ask you a question?"<br>"Of course," she told him, her arm wrapping around his waist as they turned onto their street.

"When you said we didn't need a condom," he began quietly, almost afraid someone on the deserted street would hear. "Are you going to tell me what we used instead? 'Cause I know you've been looking up techniques, and I want to know what you settled on."

Bethany let out a deep sigh, but silence over taking them for a couple of seconds. "I got my tubes tied."

Steve stopped walking, Bethany closing her eyes, turning to face him. "Bethany, I thought I told you I didn't want you risking your health."

"Steve, there is no risk to be made," Bethany said opening her eyes. "I'm fine, and it _can _be reversed. This just seemed like the best option. Plus if you went under the knife, there was too high of a chance of you healing. Dr. Streiten and I both agreed that this was the best idea. I'm still on the pill as well."

"You should have talked to me first," Steve told her, crossing his arms.

"Probably," Bethany said, watching as Steve lifted an eyebrow. "Okay yes. I should've. But I wanted everything to be perfect. Are-are you mad?"

Steve sighed, shaking his head. He put his hands on her shoulders, leaning down a little, like a father reprimanding his daughter "Not mad, but… but please don't do something like this without talking to me first again. Not something that can change our future. Because that's what it is. _Our_ future."

Bethany gave him a little smile, "I promise. Now, how about some ice cream before we go back to the apartment?"


	28. Chapter 28

****A/N: Guess who's started writing ****_Winter Soldier_**** plot? That would be me! Still a lot I'd like to cover before then, but it's in the works. I've decided to write it in a separate fanfiction, so when the time comes, I'll let you all know when it's up. **

**Also, I saw Cap 2 for the fourth time… yes. Fourth time. **

**Anyways, if you need extra information on little events of this chapter, look up the Marvel Cinematic Universe on Wiki. If I don't explain it, it isn't key. It's just conversation. And making it look like Bethany and Steve are actually working. **

Chapter 28

_August 13, 2014_

Steve and Tony sat at the kitchen table, awkwardly waiting for Bethany to finish changing. She had just completed a three day mission and returned to an apartment to see Tony and Steve arguing over who got to take her out for lunch. More specifically, her birthday lunch. She had rolled her eyes, placed her body in between theirs, pushing them apart before things got serious. Bethany had yelled that their argument was ridiculous and they could spend one afternoon sharing her. Thus, there they were.

"So," Steve started, unable to keep the silence any longer. "I heard about Bruno Horgan. Finally got him yesterday, huh?"

"He was an idiot to ever think he could play that game with me," Tony said, looking at his phone.

"The United States Army has him, correct?" Steve asked, trying to deepen the conversation. When Tony didn't respond, too engrossed on whatever was on his phone. Sighing, Steve leaned forward and took the phone from him. Tony protested, but Steve put up a hand. "I need to talk to you about something that's serious. And since I don't know when I'll see you next, and I'd rather do this in person, I'd like to do it now."

"What? Are you asking for Bethany's hand?" Tony said with a snicker in his voice. Steve didn't say anything and Tony leaned forward to take his phone back. "You are, aren't you? You've been together, what? Two months?"

"Four months since I woke up, seven altogether," Steve corrected.

"Don't you think you're jumping the gun here, Cap?"

Steve nodded. "Look, I'm not planning on proposing today. But I want to. And like I said, I don't know when the next time I'll see you will be. And since you're her only family, I want _your _permission. I asked your father years ago, and he approved, but it's no longer his blessing to give."

"Seven minus four equals three. My dad gave you permission after _three _months?" Tony asked, skeptical.

Steve sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Not exactly."

_Steve was following Howard around the lab as the man shouted orders. Steve didn't even begin to understand what he was saying, but after a small explosion in the lab leaving a couple scientists injured, he understood why. Nonetheless, he was following Howard around like a lost puppy, waiting for a moment the inventor had to spare. _

_ Steve and the Howling Commandos had arrived back to the base four hours prior, a raid that almost went horribly wrong, and the entire base was running mad. The only thing he saw of Bethany was the swish of her ponytail as she helped bandage one of the injured scientists on a gurney on the way to the hospital wing. _

_ As they walked into Howard's office, he let out a loud sigh. __"Okay, what is it?" Howard asked as he settled into a chair, looking extremely exhausted._

_ Steve, leaning against the pillar, pushed his hands into his pockets. "I know it's only been a month, but I want your permission to ask Bethany to marry me."_

_ Howard didn't say anything for a couple seconds, his fingers playing with the end of his mustache before standing up and crossing his arms. "You do mean _my sister _Bethany, right? Yay high, blond hai-"_

_ "Howard," Steve interrupted, not wanting to put up with his humor. "I'm being serious."_

_ "And so I am, pal. Bethany is just getting used to the idea of dating, and you want to tie her down with vows of forever? She may actually jump off a cliff."_

_ "I'm not saying for now," Steve explained. "I know she's not ready for that. But I know that when this war is over, all I want is to be able to have that life with her."_

_ Howard sighed, massaging his temples. "As that explosion shook the room, I saw my life pass in front of my eyes. Lots of mechanics, girls and memories of Bethany growing up. I knew she would be fine after the explosion physically, but there was no promise of financially, spiritually or emotionally. I guess… I guess if I couldn't take care of her, you'd be my next choice."_

_ "Is that a yes?" Steve asked, frowning slightly. _

_ "As long as you wait," Howard said, pointing a finger to him. "You may think you're ready to settle down with her, but you've never _lived_ with her. And you don't know her as well as I do. She needs to grow. A _lot_. But when that time comes, you'll know for sure. She'll start talking about the future like it isn't distant or scary."_

_ "How do you know that?" Steve asked, curious._

_ "Because she and I are alike," Howard admitted. "And I feel the same way. Settling down right now? Committing? Too scary. The future is happening every second. We work in a business where we are constantly trying to plan it out for the universe, but not ourselves. But, like I said. You have my approval. She needs someone like you. Someone who will put her needs over there's, but ultimately will tell her when she's gone too far."_

"He gave it to me though," Steve concluded.

Tony blinked a couple of times before shaking his head. "Okay, Jurassic Park. But I'm not calling you Uncle Steve in anyway but to make you feel old."

"Deal," Steve said with a smirk.

"See?" Bethany said coming into the room, completely obvious to their conversation, only their cooperation. "That wasn't so hard now was it?"

"You look beautiful," Steve said standing up, taking in her red leather pants and black leather boots paired with a white t-shirt and black blazer.

"Thank you," she told him giving him a quick kiss. "So, fellas. Where are we going? Did you at least talk about that?"

"I have reservations at _Macaroni Grill_," Tony said automatically.

Bethany looked to Steve for approval, him just shrugging. "That's fine. If it was just the two of us, I was going to take you out for a picnic."

"_Macaroni Grill_ it is, then," Bethany nodded with a smile, picking up her bag. "So, what were you two talking about?"

"Uh nothing?" Steve tired.

"The Melter," Tony supplied with ease, lying clearly his forte.

"Glad he's finally off your back," Bethany said as they left the apartment. "I wanted SHIELD to get involved, but the United States Army, not the mention the President want us to keep our business separate from the War Machine's until further notice. They're not exactly… comfortable and trustworthy of our motives. But at least you had Rhodie there to help."

* * *

><p>"I don't understand what that is," Steve said as he and Bethany laid on the couch watching one of her favorite movies, <em>Look Who's Talking<em>.

Bethany was playing with the green portable hard drive that Tony had made her for her birthday. "You know JARVIS?" She began, putting the device down on the table. "When I connect it to a computer, I get access to him. Although I have to run a decryption before I use it to make sure Tony isn't using it to collect SHIELD Intel."

"You ready for your gift?" Steve asked as the credits rolled by.

"I told you not to get me anything," Bethany sighed, sitting up. "I have everything I need."

"It's your birthday," Steve reminded her. "It's not everyday someone turns 92."

Bethany groaned as Steve got up and jogged off to the bedroom laughing. "You're mean!" She called out to him. "I'm 23, same as last and the year before and the year before…"

"Well if I'm 94, then I'm sure there's something wrong about us dating," Steve said coming back into the room with a box wrapped with purple paper.

Bethany took the box with a heavy sigh. "Fine, I'm 92. There was a time when I thought I'd be dead by now," she told him honestly.

"Just open the gift," Steve insisted, sitting next to her.

As she ripped open the paper and threw off the top of the box, she smiled with the contents. Not only were there a dozen vinyls that Bethany had lost or broke through the years, but also a sketched picture of her, Howard and Tony. She picked up the framed photo, a small smile on her face as she touched the glass lightly. She was wedged in the middle, Howard with his arm thrown around her shoulders and Tony with a plain face, but holding up a peace sign in typical Tony fashion.

"Steve," she said quietly, appreciating every little detail. The small freckles that decorated her nose, the curve of Howard's right eyebrow that was always raised slightly in a smirk-like matter and the cut outs of Tony's beard. "This-I- thank you."

"Anytime," Steve promised her as Bethany leaned into him. He wrapped his arms around her body, kissing the top of her head. "I didn't know what to get you, so I asked Natasha-"

"Oh god, and what did she say?" Bethany said.

He shrugged. "Just that if I had to ask her then I didn't know you well enough. I came home, and you were listening to the record player and you said something about music sounding better through it. Then I was looking through the boxes of old records and noticed that there were some that you used to have and you didn't anymore. Then I researched some old hit songs and wrote down the ones you didn't have and went to the record store."

Bethany leaned forward and kissed him. "You put a lot of work into this," Bethany said. "Thank you."

"Of course," Steve responded. "It was hard to try to one up the last gift," he said touching one of the earrings. "But then I realized it shouldn't be about making the gift better every year, but just finding something that you'll like. And ultimately use."

"Can you put this in?" Bethany asked, picking up the Nat King Cole vinyl. Steve did as she asked, and as the music filled the room, he held his hand out for her.

"Care to dance, Miss. Stark?" He asked with a smile.

Standing up and taking her position, she answered with "of course Captain Rogers."

_"L is for the way you look at me. O is for the only one I see. V is very very extraordinary. E is even more than anyone that you adore…"_

"So your birthday was good?" Steve asked as they swayed along, careful to mind Molly who was trying to rub her head against their legs.

"Perfect," Bethany said. "I saw Tony, I have you. I'm not worried about anything and I know my future is bright. I don't think I've ever had a birthday like this. So simple, but perfect."

_"And love is all that I can give to you. Love is more than just a game for two. Two in love can make it. Take my heart and please don't break it. Love was made for me and you."_

* * *

><p><em>August 20<em>_th__, 2012_

"Agent Stark," she heard behind her as she handed an operative some files to be proofed. The fourth Mandarin bombing just occurred the day before, and SHIELD was working overtime to try and catch the guy despite the many phone calls from the President telling them he had it under control and for SHIELD to keep out of it.

Bethany turned around, giving the agent a smile. "Sharon. Hey, how are you?"  
>"Good," she said with a nod. "Can I have a word alone with you?"<p>

"Sure," Bethany said before leading her to her office and securing it. "What can I do for you today?"

"Well one, you visiting Aunt Peggy would be nice," Sharon reminded her.

Bethany groaned, plopping into her chair. "I know, I know. We're trying. We really are. Since we got back from vacation, Steve and I have had a collective of 5 days together and we want to go together."

"She doesn't have forever," Sharon said with a sigh. "She's getting worse. Her memory is foggy and some days she doesn't even know who I am. Just… _please_ see her soon."

"Okay," Bethany said nodding. "We'll go before the end of the month. I'll clear our schedules and pray that we don't get any time sensitive assignments. We've been slammed with those lately."

"I know," Sharon said, settling into a chair. "Which another reason why I wanted to talk. I've been given a long term assignment and it involves you. Well, Steve, really."

Bethany frowned, pushing some blond hair behind her ear. "Umm… and that's what exactly?"

"Fury has asked me to move into the apartment beside yours and keep an eye on Steve," Sharon explained calmly. "He wants someone to protect him and make sure that he's doing okay in this new world."

"That's _my _assignment," Bethany said louder than she anticipated.

"He's worried that you're too emotionally involved," Sharon said. "Not only that, but you said it yourself. You two haven't been together as much as you want. Look, I'm not trying to replace you, but wouldn't you rather be safe than sorry? And at least its me, and not some agent you barely know. I mean, you're the one who gave me advice on how to sneak out the house when I was sixteen."

Bethany took in a deep breath, releasing it through her mouth. "I see your point. Why didn't Fury discuss this with me first though?"

"I asked him if I could tell you," Sharon answered. "I just wanted you to hear it from me. He wants me to go under cover too. He has a feeling Captain Rogers wouldn't approve to him being watched over."

"That's for sure," Bethany replied, massaging her temples for a couple of seconds. "You start to build your cover?"

"It's slowly coming together," Sharon said with a nod. "But I don't want to tell you anything. Just let you meet Kate and learn about her like you would."

"Kate, huh?" Bethany said with a smirk. "Well, tell her that when she moves in, I'll bring over some lasagna for her."

Sharon laughed, pushing some hair out of her face. "Sounds good."

* * *

><p><em>August 24<em>_th__, 2012_

Bethany liked a lot of things. The smell of baking bread, sea-salt chocolate and sleeping in. But there was also things she hated like cleaning the dishes, parody movies and the smell of retirement homes. In fact, there was only one thing she liked about visiting the home and that was Peggy. Everything else was awful. The colour of the walls, the food they served, the receptionist... awful. Not to mention the reminder that she _should_ be either in that home with the seniors or in a grave.

"You ready?" She asked Steve as they stopped in front of the door to Peggy's room. He looked on edge. She put her hands on his shoulders to stop him from bouncing on the balls of his feet, but he had a good few inches on her, especially in her converse, making her efforts futile. "Steve, relax."

"I know, I know," he said, pushing some hair back into his coif. "It's just… I don't know what to expect."

"Peggy Carter," Bethany said plainly. "Personality wise, she hasn't changed. Her appearance, yes. But you need to relax."

He nodded before turning to the door and bravely opening it. Bethany chuckled as she watched him peek his head inside. "Peggy?"

"Steve?" Came Peggy's old battered voice. "It's about bloody time."

"Yeah, that's my bad," Bethany said stepping in behind Steve. "Sorry Pegs."

"Your-your _hair_," Peggy said shocked taking in her blond hair, perfectly straightened.

Bethany gave her a small smile, taking in her appearance. She looked visibly older and weaker than she did when she visited six months prior. But on her face was a huge smile and a shine in her eyes. "How are you?"

Bethany moved over to kiss Peggy's cheek, Steve doing the same, only to be caught in Peggy's arms and brought in for a hug. "Oh so happy now that you two are here. _Together_."

Steve gave her his sweetest smile as she released him, sitting on the edge of her bed while Bethany pulled over a chair. "It's great to see you, Peggy," Steve told her honestly.

"I couldn't express my happiness when I saw the news on TV regarding what happened in New York," Peggy began. "Well, I mean it was awful, but just to see that you were _alive_, after all these years of looking and waiting… Oh and to see you both here, together. It's all I've wanted through these years. Now tell me everything."

"I think there's more for me to catch up on your life than on mine," Steve answered with a chuckle.

"I got married, had kids, yadda yadda yadda," Peggy said with a wave of her hand. "No, I want to know about what you two have been up two since the battle, since clearly you were too busy to visit me-"

"You speak as though your life hasn't been this amazing experience," Bethany interrupted, rolling her eyes.

"Yes, well a story for another day," Peggy said, getting slightly annoyed. "Now are you two a couple or not?"

Steve and Bethany looked at each other, both chuckling slightly as Steve took her hand. "Yeah, Peggy. We are."

After an hour of talking, laughing and reliving old times and tellings of new ones, Steve excused himself to get some food for the three of them, leaving just Bethany and Peggy.

"So, you still mad at me?" Bethany asked as she crossed her legs.

Peggy gave her a tired smile. "How can I be mad when I'm so happy? Just knowing that all that work spent looking for him… I just wish it wasn't so long. Your brother and I knew that the only way to make you happy was Steve. And we couldn't bear to see you like that forever. I can only hope that you can put the last 70 years behind you and spend the next 70 with him. You're happy?"

"Ecstatic," Bethany admitted. "He's accepted me for all I've done and become, and has helped me be the best I can be. It's weird, he hasn't treated me any differently than he did before, but I appreciate it so much more than before."

"It's because you're emotionally mature this time," Peggy said with a small smirk. "What happens now?"

"Ideally, we live happily ever after," Bethany answered with a sigh.

"But it's not that simple," Peggy said sympathetically.

"No," Bethany replied heavily. "And it's been weighing on my mind. I think you more than anyone understands the ultimate battle I'm fighting."

She hummed in agreement. "Wanting to save the world, fight the bad guys and be an agent of SHIELD but also wanting a family and knowing that you can't have both?"

"Exactly," Bethany said, leaning forward in her chair. "How did you decide?"

Peggy sighed, closing her eyes momentarily to think about it. "I knew I wasn't getting any younger, and I wanted a family. As much as I wanted to stay at SHIELD, I knew when I was at this moment in my life now, I would want to look back and know it wasn't all just work."

"You always know what to say," Bethany said with a chuckle, getting up off the chair and closing the window to the room, seeing that Peggy was trying to pull her shawl tighter around her. As she took her seat again, Peggy's eyes were closed, as if she was thinking deeply about something. "Peggy?"

When the elderly woman opened her eyes, her mouth went agape. "Bethany! Your hair!"

Bethany looked at her lap for a second, trying to regain her patience as Peggy's memory once again failed her. "Yeah, I went back to blond."

"Suits you much better," Peggy said, reaching to touch it lightly. "How's your brother?"

Bethany swallowed hard, ready to play along just as Steve walked back into the room. "Sorry, the line was really long and I ended up retelling some old war stories-"

"Steve!" Peggy expressed wildly. "You're-you're alive!"

"Huh?" Steve said, looking to Bethany who just gave him a sad smile. "Uh, yeah Peggy."

He put the food down as he moved to the side of the bed, reaching out to wipe a tear from Peggy's face. "Oh, it's been such a long time. I never gave up hope. Oh, I'm such a mess-"

"You're beautiful," Steve told her with a smile. "Always have been."

Peggy smiled, another tear running down her face. Bethany almost cursed out loud as her phone began to buzz in her pocket. "Sorry," she mumbled getting out of her chair. "I just need to make a phone call."

As she stepped out, Peggy took Steve's hand. "I don't think I've ever been this happy."

"I'm sorry I've been gone this long," Steve apologized with a sheepish smile.

"I'm sorry it took so long for them to find you," Peggy replied with. "If only we looked harde-"

"Hey, don't blame yourself for anything," Steve insisted. "I'm just grateful I'm here now, and get to live my life."

Peggy reached out to cup his face. "And that life will be with Bethany?"

"Hopefully," Steve admitted. "I love her."

"I know you do," Peggy said with a chuckle. "I've always known you did. Alls forgiven?"

"I understand her now," Steve responded. "And I know that she wouldn't make the same mistake twice. I love her and that means forgiving the unforgivable."

"She needs you," Peggy replied. "I've never seen anyone in a darker faze than the months following… well, the months after you left. If she could die, she would've. She just stopped caring. Thank god McCain and Howard were able to give her life some meaning again. I don't know what would've happened if they didn't."

"I owe them everything," Steve said. "And you. I owe you a lot too."

"Just don't muck up the world," Peggy said with a wink. "Don't let her escape your clutches. Or let her mess it up."

"I won't," Steve said with a chuckle, looking at the door, seeing that Bethany had closed it as she left the room. "Can you keep a secret?"

"I was a spy, Captain," Peggy reminded him. "And who would I tell?"

Steve gave her a small smile before reaching in his pocket and pulling out a black velvet box. "I need your opinion."

Peggy took the ring box, her weak fingers struggling for a couple of seconds to get it opening, but gasping at the infinity twist engagement ring, a large round diamond in the center. "It's beautiful," she said. "Blinding almost."

Steve chuckled. "Is it _too_ flashy?"

"Maybe for some people," Peggy said, closing the box and giving it back to Steve. "But not for Bethany. It'll look nice with her earrings."

"Yeah," Steve said pocketing the box. "I went into a jewelry store the other day to find something for Bethany's birthday, and I saw this… I just couldn't help but think of how great it would look on her finger."

"Yes, it'll look lovely," Peggy agreed. "Planning on giving it to her sometime soon?"

"No… Well, actually, I don't know," Steve admitted. "I want to, but I don't want to rush into things. Things are good between us, but since I started working for SHIELD, we've been apart more than we've been together. It's…"

"Complicated?" Peggy tried. "Love always is. But if it was easy, then it wouldn't make the great times just that."

* * *

><p><em>September 3<em>_rd__, 2012_

Steve peeked around the corner before turning down the hall. One guard came out to attack him and Steve knocked him to the side in one swipe before continuing down the hall. "Beth? You finish hacking into the system?"

_ "Almost,"_ Bethany's voice came through as Steve used his shield to break into a locked door in search for a Chitauri weapon some billionaire in Paris had bought off the black market. They had been running tests and using the weapon to develop even more. SHIELD had caught wind of the operation and sent Bethany, Steve and a standard strike team to erase the system, get back the weapon and take everyone involved into custody. So far, so good.

_"I deactivated the system, only after replicating the files so Fury can take a look. Also, this nut has his DVR connected to his internal system, so I erased that too. Revenge is sweet."_

Steve shook his head, amused as he finally found the sharp weapon. "I have it," he told her and the strike team. "Heading back to the rendezvous point now."

_"Copy that Cap,_" Rumlow's voice responded. _"We have the prisoners secured and waiting your orders."_

_ "The system is down," _Bethany replied. _"But I'm gonna be another minute."_

"Why?" Steve asked, climbing the stairs two at a time. "Trouble?"

_"Nah, this guy has his credit card programed into the computer. I'm going online shopping."_

"Bethany," Steve said strictly.

_"Fine, be there in two." _She grumbled.

As they all met at the rendezvous point and got into the SHIELD aircrafts, Bethany looked out the window, sighing. "I love Paris. I wish we got a day to just explore the city."

"You get to interrogate this guy," Rumlow reminded her. "Isn't that better than wandering the streets with a bunch of couples showing more PDA than necessary?"

"PDA?" Steve questioned.

"Public displays of affection," Bethany answered quickly. "And no, actually. I'd rather do just that. I don't _enjoy_ interrogating people."

"See, you'd convince me otherwise during the Yolkov interrogation last year."

"That wasn't interrogation," Bethany reminded Rumlow. "It was torture. Done creatively."

"How is torture ever creative?" Steve asked, brows furrowed slightly.

"Oh, we played _Aqua_ on repeat for 129 hours until he broke," Bethany said with a shrug. "He was Russian, and _Aqua_ is a music group that sings overly excited and happy songs. It was all too easy. Even Natasha got a kick out of it. Although, she left the room 2 hours in."

"This one stayed for the full 129 hours," Rumlow said pointing to Bethany.

"Yes I did," Bethany said proudly. "I will never look at a Barbie the same way again, but who cares? He cried like a baby."

Bethany's phone started to ring and she pulled it out of her boot as her dark purple jumpsuit was too tight for any pockets. "Director?" She asked as she picked it up.

_"Stark, heard the operation was a success,"_ Fury replied.

"We're on our way back to headquarters now," Bethany told him.

_"No. Bring it to The Fridge. They're waiting for the weapon there. As for the data you collected, keep it and give it to me in person. Don't let anyone else get a hold of it."_

"Whatever you say, Nick," Bethany responded before hanging up and then leaning toward the pilot. "Change of plans; we're heading towards The Fridge."

As the aircraft switched positions, Bethany lost her balance momentarily, Steve placing his hands on her waist to keep her steady. "What about the prisoners?"

"Clearly Fury thinks this is a top priority," Bethany answered, turning around to admire his new suit. "I like it," she said poking the fabric covering his abs. "It's more… what's the word?"

"Practical?" Steve asked.

"Practical, yes. That's it. I do, however, miss the red stripes," She admitted, tracing the star on his chest. "But I like the fit. Good padding, good colour. Still unique. Iconic."

"I like yours," Steve said, his eyes taking in her perfectly framed body in the deep purple suit. "Although, I think I'd even like you in a trash bag."

Bethany rolled her, an amused smirk on her face. "Stop flirting, we're at work."

* * *

><p><em>September 5<em>_th__, 2012_

Steve was filling out the last of his paperwork when he felt a brushing over his shoulder. He jumped as he turned to see Natasha looking over his shoulder at his words. "Gesh, Natasha. What are you doing?"

"You're hiding something Rogers," she said before pushing away and sitting in the chair opposite of him. "I'm trying to figure out what it is."

"I'm not hiding anything," Steve responded, not knowing what she was talking about. "I'm trying to finish this paperwork so I can go home and start my weekend."

"What's this?" She said reaching into the leather jacket pocket thrown over the chair she was sitting on and pulling out the ring box. "'Cause it looks like a secret to _me_."

"Give it," Steve said with a heavy sigh, holding out his hand.

Instead, Natasha opened the box, studying the ring. "This must have cost you a small fortune."

"My mom taught me that there's only two things to spend money on and that's medicine to stay healthy and presents to stay in a relationship."

Natasha smirked, taking the ring out of the box and slipping it on her finger. "I must say, you did a good job. She'll love it."

"I hope so," Steve said catching her hand and pulling the ring off of it and putting back into the box.

"She will," Natasha insisted. "I mean, she loves those earrings. I've never seen her without them. And for a spy to wear jewelry in public and on assignments… that's a big deal. When are you planning on asking?"

"I don't know," Steve admitted, gesturing for his jacket and shoving the box back into his pocket. "Tony keeps sending me texts telling me not to rush into things. And I don't want to complicate things."

"It's never _not_ going to be complicated with Bethany. But as for rushing into things, don't let Tony get into your head. He's only in his first serious relationship _now_. If you think it's the right time, don't let anything, or any_one_ stop you."

The door slid open, Bethany stepping inside. "Change of plans," she groaned. "We're needed at the Academy tonight. There's field operative training and Fury wants us both there to demonstrate."

"Lucky you," Natasha said. "Last time I did that, some kid got so nervous, he passed out."

Bethany scrunched her nose as if she was disgusted. "Yeah, well it wasn't optional. But he promised we get the next week off if we do it with no complaints."

"Fine," Steve answered, secretly dreading it. All he wanted was to curl up in bed with Bethany and Molly, falling asleep to a sit com. "I just need to finish this last report and then we can head out."

"Cool, wake me up when you're ready," she said before lying down on the couch in the corner.

"Tired?" Natasha asked, smirk on her face.

"I'm aware I used to go days without rest to do assignments, but I think age is catching up with me," Bethany mumbled before a yawn escaped her lips.

* * *

><p>Bethany cracked her back as she and Steve were finally released from their demonstration. Many of the applicants had cowered as the two stepped into the room, but none of them passed out as Steve and Bethany aggressively fought each other, showing what exactly these people would be facing in the field.<p>

Over the months, Steve and Bethany had sparred almost every day for at least half an hour. It made both of them stronger, and Steve was learning so much from both her and Rumlow. During the spars, Steve learned not to hold back, seeing how much Bethany could handle. But everytime he did any sort of damage, he always made sure she was okay before attacking again.

So instead of one kid passing out as Steve's foot collided with Bethany's ribcage with a sickening crunch, he puked. Bethany wasn't sure if that was worse or better, but she was grateful they had the week off. She could feel some bruises that hadn't yet healed and all she wanted was a bubble bath.

"You okay?" Steve asked as he watched Bethany wince in pain.

"My ribs are a bit sore," She told him as they walked down the halls. Some students stared at them as they passed, but Bethany kept her eye on the prize. The exit.

"Sorry," Steve responded.

"It's not the worse pain I've ever felt," Bethany admitted, slowing her steps as something passed her eye.

"What?" Steve asked, stopping beside her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Bethany said before grabbing his wrist and leading him in one direction. "I just want to show you something."

Steve frowned, but didn't say anything. As they came to a halt, his eyes scanned the giant marble plaque. "What's this?"

"The Wall of Valor," Bethany explained. "It's a memorial dedicated to the fallen agents of SHIELD and the SSR. Howard had it made back in '69."

Steve stepped closer, reading the names. He reached out and touched his own name before noticing the one engraved above it. "Bucky?"

Bethany smiled, moving close to him and snaking an arm around his waist. "I miss him."

"So do I," Steve said with a sigh. "Sometimes I'll be doing something and think 'I can't wait to tell Buck'. You think he's happy up there?"

"I hope so," Bethany told him, leaning her head on his chest. "I guess this just goes to show that we don't know what's going to happen tomorrow and to not wait for opportunities. You may miss your chance."

Steve nodded, looking down at her as her long lashes fluttered against her skin, a yawn escaping her lips. It was all he needed to hear. There was no saying what would happen in their life next, but he wanted to be with her no matter what. Collectively, they hadn't been together longer than a year, but it didn't matter. He had loved her so much longer than that, and experienced life without her. He never wanted to go back to those days of loneliness. She gave him hope for the future, a hope that was only a dream. Not to mention, she gave him opportunities.

There was no more waiting. There was no more caring about what other people thought. He loved her, and she loved him. He was going to propose, and they were going to get married and have kids and live happily ever after. It wasn't an idea, or a dream. Steve was determined to make it happen. Have them grow old together and when they were too weak to take care of themselves, spending their days in an old age home, they'd look back on their life with a sense of accomplishment for more than lasting longer than a Russian criminal in a musical torture session.

* * *

><p><strong>**AN: So my plans is for the next chapter to be long since I leave for a week and a half vacation next week and won't be bringing my laptop with me. **

**BellaDamonLover: Aw, it's okay. They will! Sooner than they expect too (that's all I'm gonna say).**

**FeliciaFelicis: Yeah, as a history major, I've always wanted to go to a history themed party. And yup! Blond hair is back. Her appearance is a reflection of herself and going with lighter hair means a brighter person.**

**DJK: I've been waiting to write that chapter since the beginning of the story. It only took 27 chapters… **


	29. Chapter 29

****A/N: Okay, so last chapter for about two weeks while I'm on vacation. When I come back though, it'll be the Iron Man 3 plot, so you have that to be excited for. At least, I'm excited for it.**

**By the way, if you want to know what the ring looks like, search 'infinity twist ring' and you'll get an idea.**

Chapter 29  
>Steve double, tripled and quadrupled checked that Bethany was sound asleep. It was 7:30, so even if he woke her up, she would most likely fall back asleep. Using all the stealth he could muster, he snuck out of bed and into the shower. It was the last day of their allotted time off and Steve had used the prior days to plan exactly how he was going to go about proposing.<br>He wasn't nervous per say. He knew that even if Bethany said no, they would still be together. It wasn't a question of whether they loved each but whether they were ready. He was a ball of nerves though, like a little kid on Christmas Eve. He had barely been able to sleep with the butterflies aggressively fluttering in his stomach.  
>The night before, he got Natasha to drop off Bethany's favorite meal from her favorite restaurant, a mixture of about 12 different types of cheese and pasta. Bethany had already passed out while watching <em>Lord of the Rings<em> and he was able to put it in the fridge. He had remembered Howard's advice on impressing Bethany; food, music and bed. Steve carefully planned everything, and he was excited.  
>After showering, he pulled on some khakis and a button up top and made his way to the kitchen to warm up her pasta. He took in a deep breath as he watched the plate spin leisurely in the microwave. Shoving his hands into his pockets, Steve felt the velvet ring box under his fingers. The sides of his lips quirked, imagining the look of her face when she saw the flashy circle. The infinity twist of the band was covered in diamonds and in the middle was a close to vulgar, but still reasonably sized diamond in the middle. Like Natasha guessed, the ring was expensive. In fact, back in the 40's, he would've been considered rich spilling out that much money.<br>But with his bank account having more numbers than he would ever dream of, a steady paycheck from SHIELD and Bethany insisting on paying for a lot of their things, he didn't have one regret forking out the cash for the ring. It was perfect for her.  
>Opening the microwave a second before it started to annoyingly beep, he pulled out the steaming dish and put it on a portable dinner tray. On it already was a single red rose, Bethany's favorite, and a tall glass of chocolate milk. Taking in one last breath of air, he picked up the tray and started towards their bedroom.<br>Putting the tray on the dresser, he moved over to the radio and turned it on to an old music radio station. He had never heard the song before, but it was soft and created the perfect mood. Bethany frowned as the music filled the room, her eyes fluttering open. "Is it noon already?" She groaned.  
>Steve flopped on the bed, chuckling. "No, but I made you breakfast."<br>"Smells like cheese," she said, licking her lips and smacking her lips together softly. "Why does it smell like cheese?"  
>"'Cause of this," he said pulling himself off the bed and bringing the tray over to her. Her face immediately lit up.<br>"For breakfast? You know me so well," Bethany said immediately digging into the cheesy dish. "What's the special occasion?"  
>"There need to be an occasion?" Steve asked.<br>Bethany raised an eyebrow. "You're a horrible liar, Steve. Remind me to tell Fury to never put you on any assignments where lying is key."  
>"Just enjoy your breakfast," Steve told her as she picked up the rose and smelled it.<br>"A single red rose," Bethany smiled. "You remembered."  
>"Of course I did," Steve answered with a smile, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear. As she finished the tray of food, them talking lightly in between her bites, she stretched out her arms.<br>"Full," Bethany moaned, but still had a smile on her face. "Thank you." Steve picked up the tray and put it on the side before moving over to the edge of the bed. He took her hands and Bethany raised an eyebrow. "Why are you being weird?"  
>"I have something I want to tell you… well, ask you actually," Steve admitted, praising himself for not stuttering.<br>"Okay," Bethany nodded, encouraging him.  
>"You know I love you right?"<br>Bethany was silent for a second, frowning slightly. "…Yes…"  
>"Since the day I've met you, I felt something for you. And it wasn't until months later that I realized it was a love I never dreamed of having. And since then, I've only wanted to protect you, even if you didn't need it."<br>"What are you doing?" Bethany asked with a small smile.  
>Steve took in a deep breath, reaching into his pocket and kneeling on the ground on one knee. He watched as she took in a deep breath, eyes watering slightly and hand covering her mouth. "Bethany Elizabeth Stark? We've been through some hard times, but ultimately we've overcome everything. And because of that, I know we can do this. There's no one else I'd rather spend the rest of my life with and have yelling at me to pick up my socks or to stop laughing at your bedhead."<br>Bethany's fingers went up to her hair, smothering it down as Steve chuckled and took her hand back in his. "I love you not because of your beauty, but because you're smart, and kind. And you've become this amazing and strong individual. You're not perfect, but you're perfect to me."  
>He pulled the velvet box out of his pocket, smiling at the excited look on Bethany's face. "I got your brother's approval years ago, and Tony's a couple months ago. And while they approved, it doesn't matter unless I have yours. So, Beth? Will you marry me?"<br>She gasped as he opened the box, the ring sparkling true. "That's-gesh Steve, this is beautiful."  
>"Is… is that a yes?" Steve asked as she took the box from his hands.<br>Bethany threw her head back in laughter. "Yes. Yes. A million times yes."  
>Steve took the box back, taking the ring out of it and slipping it onto her finger. "Perfect fit," Steve said before they shared a chaste kiss. "Hey, what's with these tears?" He had softly, wiping them away with the pad of his thumb.<br>"I'm just happy," She told him pulling him to lay next to her on the bed. She curled into his body, admiring her ring. "It's so beautiful."  
>"Glad you like it," he said kissing the top of her head. "I saw it and I immediately thought of you."<br>"You-" she took in a deep breath, trying to fight back her tears. "You got Howard's permission? And Tony's? And they both said 'yes'?"  
>"Yeah. Uh, you remember that day there was an explosion in the lab?" She nodded her head, bringing her hand closer to her face. "Well, I realized that day that Howard could die before I could get his permission, and I wanted it. So I asked him before I could miss my chance."<br>"Oh god, I love you." She told him, craning her head to look at him. "Knowing Howard approved… Ohhhh. That makes so much sense," she said.  
>"Um, huh?" Steve asked, only for Bethany to chuckle and shake her head.<p>

* * *

><p><em> "Howard, what am I doing here?" Bethany complained, hitting one of the red, white and red streamers hanging by the doorframe away from her face. <em>  
><em> It was the fourth of July and her plans that day consisted of doing some extra research on an organization that recently made their way onto SHIELD's radar. Instead, Howard called and asked her to meet him. She originally declined, but Howard threaten not to give her any assignments if she missed out. Thus, she was there. <em>  
><em> "Ah, come on little sis, loosen up a little," Howard said pulling her into a half hug. <em>  
><em> "Howard, you wouldn't ask me over here today of all days if you didn't have a reason," Bethany pointed out, sighing heavily.<em>  
><em> "You caught me," Howard said, putting his hands out in a motion of surrender. "I want you to meet Maria."<em>  
><em> "Who?" Bethany asked as they walked further into his house.<em>  
><em> "Exactly," Howard answered. "We've been together for a while and… dare I say it, Bethany, I think I want to marry this girl."<em>  
><em> "You think?" Bethany questioned, scrunching her nose. "You better <em>know_ if you're going to ask her."_  
><em> "She's perfect for me," Howard explained. "There's only one thing left, and that's getting your approval."<em>  
><em> "Isn't it usually the other way around?"<em>  
><em> "Beth," he said, stopping her and putting his hands on her shoulders. "You're opinion means the world to me. And if you don't like her, then I know she isn't right for me. But it would mean a lot to me if you made an effort since I've already given my stamp of approval for you."<em>  
><em> "What does that even mean?" Bethany asked, shrugging her shoulders out from Howard's grip.<em>  
><em> "Nothing," Howard answered. "Just… please? Meet her? Talk a bit? Tell her some old stories?"<em>  
><em> Bethany sighed, but looking at his face, knew she couldn't say no. It was the first time Howard was even thinking about settling down, and Bethany knew that this Maria had to be special. "Fine," she agreed with a roll of her eyes, but a small smile. <em>  
><em> "That's my main girl," Howard cheered.<em>

* * *

><p>Steve later went out for his usual jog, also with a list of groceries. Bethany wanted to make him a steak dinner as a thank you for the perfect proposal. He said her saying yes was thank you enough, but when Bethany insisted on something, Bethany got what she wanted.<br>Bethany used this time to go visit Peggy. If there was one person she wanted to share this moment with, it was her. Sure, she sent Tony a text that mostly consisted of how proud she was of him for being so mature about it. And yeah, she sent a picture of her ring to Natasha. And _maybe_ she called Pepper 'cause she couldn't imagine anyone else helping her with wedding plans.  
>But through it all, all she wanted was her old partner-in-crime.<br>Bethany took a deep breath and crossed her fingers as she walked into Peggy's room, hoping that she would be having a good day and that she could just waltz in there and tell her the news. It was also painful to see her losing her memory, losing moments of time together that they shared.  
>"Pegs?" She asked as she closed the door behind her.<br>Peggy put the magazine she was reading down, smiling. "Bethany, back so soon?"  
>Bethany smiled, moving to sit next to her. "Yeah, I wanted to show you something."<br>"Oh, and what's that?" Peggy questioned as she sat up a little straighter.  
>Bethany held out her hand, Peggy clasping it in her own. "Oh this is just fantastic," Peggy told her with a smile. "I wasn't sure if he was going to ask so soon."<br>"Wait, you knew?" Bethany asked, pulling her hand back.  
>Peggy chuckled. "He needed a woman's opinion. Oh, I'm so happy for you. I've been waiting for you to get this chance."<br>"Oh yeah?" Bethany said as she pulled her sweater off her arms and draping it over the chair.  
>"Since I got married," Peggy shared with a distant look in her eyes. "And you were there, happy for me, but not for yourself."<br>"Well, I'm really happy," Bethany told her. "It's nice that after years of watching other people live their lives I'm finally getting that opportunity. And with Steve nonetheless. He even got Howard's approval. And Tony's. It was… ah, Peggy I wish that you were there. It was perfect."

* * *

><p><em> "Bethany?" Peggy asked, stepping into her office. The lights were dimmed and as Peggy flipped the switch, the room brightened tenfold. <em>  
><em> "Ow," Bethany said as her eyes adjusted to the lights. "Something wrong? I'm almost done this paperwork."<em>  
><em> "Nothing… wrong, per say." Peggy started, moving closer to her. "But there's something I need to tell you."<em>  
><em> Bethany looked up, stifling a yawn. "Shoot."<em>  
><em> Peggy's hand came into Bethany's view, an engagement ring circling one finger. "He proposed."<em>  
><em> Bethany studied it for a couple more seconds before turning back to her work. "Congrats."<em>  
><em> "You don't sound happy," Peggy said, pulling over a chair and settling into it. <em>  
><em> "No, I am…" she sighed, turning her body to face Peggy. "I don't know, I guess I think that you're rushing into things."<em>  
><em> "We most certainly are not," Peggy corrected. "And when he asked me, I said yes and meant it. I'm happy. But more so, the reason that I'm here… will you be my maid of honor?"<em>

* * *

><p>"Pegs?" Bethany asked, pulling her chair closer to the bed. "I don't know what we're doing for the wedding, or when it'll be, but… will you be my maid of honor?"<br>Peggy's face lit up. "You sure you don't want some younger woman-"  
>"Hush," Bethany interrupted. "You've been cheering for my happiness almost as long as Howard. There's no one else that I would rather be there for me."<br>"Well, I'm honored," Peggy said, placing her hand on Bethany's. "Any plans at all?"  
>"No, just you." Bethany admitted. "I talked to Steve, and he agreed with my decision. And I called Tony's girlfriend, and she's going to help with the plans. But honestly, it's been years since I even thought about a wedding, and I have no idea what I want to do."<br>"What about Steve? He must have some idea," Peggy pushed.  
>Bethany shook her head. "Not really. I mean, he said he wants me to wear a white dress, so that's simple. But that's it. I'm thinking very small, since he doesn't really know that many people, or really anyone outside of work."<br>"Any idea of who his best man will be?" Peggy asked.  
>"No… Ideally it would've been…"<br>"Bucky," Peggy said with a small smile.

* * *

><p><em>"I need a woman's opinion," Bucky said, leaning over Bethany's work bench.<em>  
><em> "Peggy's in a meeting," she answered, carefully sketching out some weapon design plans. <em>  
><em> "Um, Bethany?" Bucky said, putting a hand under her chin and making her look up at him. "You're a woman… Or at least, Steve hasn't said otherwise."<em>  
><em> Bethany put down her pencil. "Are you saying Steve talks about our sex life?"<em>  
><em> "No, I'm saying if you were lacking a female part, that might have come up in conversation," Bucky explained. "Trust me, he respects you too much to give any details. He denied you two sleeping together until it was so blindingly obvious that he couldn't deny it any longer. But that's not why I'm here. I need your opinion."<em>  
><em> "Okay," Bethany said, giving him her full attention. "What can I do you for?"<em>  
><em> "What do you think of Miranda?" He asked, picking up the pencil and twirling it in between his fingers. <em>  
><em> "She's nice," she said simply. "Why?"<em>  
><em> "You think it's too early to propose?"<em>  
><em> Bethany's hands fell from under her chin to the workbench, the loud thud echoing through the room. "Yes. Yeah, Bucky."<em>  
><em> "Okay, okay," he said putting his hands up. "I get it."<em>  
><em> "Just because people are getting married left and right doesn't justify jumping to the altar. I mean, sure you two have fun, but could you spend the rest of your life with her and that laugh?"<em>  
><em> Bucky chuckled. "I guess you have a point. See, this is why I needed your opinion."<em>  
><em> "Just out of curiosity…" Bethany started, standing up straight. "What did Steve have to say about this?"<em>  
><em> "That no matter my decision, he'd be here for me," Bucky shared. <em>  
><em> "But he wasn't against it," Bethany said slowly. "Which means he could be for it…"<em>  
><em> "And is that a bad thing?" Bucky asked, raising an eyebrow. <em>  
><em> Bethany sighed, pushing a curl behind her ear. "Look, I understand the idea about getting married quickly during war. Soldiers want the chance to have a wife and possibly children. But a lot of men will come home from war and have all this freedom, only to realize they have to support a family they may not necessarily be ready for."<em>  
><em> "You're smart," Bucky told her. "I feel like you could sit all the men on this base down and get them to think whatever you want them too."<em>  
><em> "It's part of my skills of being a girl," Bethany said with a smirk and a wink. "Just wait a while before you commit. Maybe until after the war?"<em>  
><em> "I may not have that long," Bucky reminded her.<em>  
><em> "You can't regret anything if you're dead, but if you get married and come home and then regret it…"<em>  
><em> "Damn, you're a genius," Bucky told her with a chuckle. "And so tell me this, Miss. Brain, am I going to be Steve's best man first, or is he going to be mine?"<em>  
><em> Bethany only rolled her eyes and walked away.<em>

* * *

><p>September 29, 2012<br>"You're being ridiculous," Bethany insisted as she and Steve walked into the level 8 crew room. Except for Natasha and Clint, who was undergoing some more post-hypnotized tests that day, the room was empty. It was the perfect place for them to have this discussion, since Bethany's office was experiencing some security updates.  
>"Beth, how could you conveniently leave that information out?" Steve asked, annoyed and quite frankly furious at her deception.<br>"Steve, it happened years ago. It doesn't matter now, and it didn't matter then. Just let it go." She said, flopping into a chair.  
>"Wait, what's going on?" Clint asked, brows furrowing together.<br>"Trouble in paradise?" Natasha questioned as Steve crossed his arms.  
>"He's overreacting," Bethany answered.<br>"I don't think you kissing someone else is me overreacting!"  
>Bethany sighed, her fingers pushing against her temples. "Steve, it was years ago, okay? It's not like we were together, and for the last freaking time, it didn't mean anything."<br>"Is he talking about the kiss from the mission in '04?" Natasha asked, sitting up straight. "Because she's right. That meant nothing. We just needed to hide in plain sight."  
>"Wait-what?!" Clint said, getting very interested, very fast.<br>"Excuse me?" Steve asked, looking between the two women.  
>Bethany let out a frustrated groan and Natasha looked only a little guilty. "So… not that kiss then…"<br>"No," Bethany voiced standing up. "But that kiss meant just as little as the one I shared with McCain."  
>"Wait, your first SHIELD partner?" Clint questioned, growing very excited.<br>"Can you just _stop_?" Bethany said in between her teeth to Clint before turning to Steve. "Look, I was vulnerable. I always knew he loved me, and I thought that if I could turn back to that person I was, that person that used sex to feel better—Steve, don't make that face. Will you just listen? I didn't go through with it. Okay? Although while I'm being honest…"  
>"What?" Steve asked, trying not to snap. He couldn't tell why he was so angry. It was years ago and she continually insisted it meant nothing, but since his awakening he had heard stories after stories about him. He hated to admit it, but it seemed like he was jealous of a dead man.<br>"Well, I didn't exactly stop the kiss. It was McCain," She admitted. "He… he knew my heart wasn't into it, and he broke the kiss before it even became anything." When Steve didn't say anything, just watching her closely, Bethany let out an angry breath of air. "What? You're acting like I committed a crime, Steve. If anyone should be angry, it should be me."  
>"Why would you be-"<br>"Because, damn it Steve, it was years ago! A time in my life where you weren't there. There was no reason for me to not try and have another life-"  
>"You could of told me!"<br>"And what? And have you react like this?" She took in a couple deep breaths. "Okay, listen. I have some errands to run. Just- let's just take this time to calm down and think things over, okay? Maybe you'll get it through your thick skull that it's always been you."  
>Steve's shoulders dropped as she angrily began to make her way out of the room, but Steve grabbed her arm. "Wait. I'll drive you to where you have to go."<br>"The only place you're driving me is totally insane," Bethany said, pulling her arm away from him. "Just-a couple hours, Steve."  
>He watched as she strutted down the hall and out the door. Steve closed his eyes momentarily, part of him feeling like he should run after her, but the other being too defeated to even try. "First time you're backing down from a fight, Rogers?" Natasha asked, reminding him of their presence.<br>"It won't be the last," Clint told him. "Not with Bethany. Especially not if you two are getting married. It'll be years of exactly_ that._"  
>"She's right you know," Natasha said as she got up from her chair. "You're being a typical stupid, jealous man right now. She loves you, and a kiss is just a kiss. Okay?"<br>"Is it because she didn't tell you, or just because she did it?" Clint asked, putting his elbows on his knees.  
>Steve thought hard about it, then realized it was neither. "It's because I wasn't there," he admitted. "I'm jealous that someone else got the opportunity to keep her safe when she was vulnerable."<br>"I'm gonna give you a piece of advice before your pending nuptials," Clint said before standing up. "Think before you speak. It'll save you a lot of yelling. And with Bethany, probably a lot of her hitting you."

* * *

><p>Bethany had sent Steve a brief text telling him that she was back at the apartment and he immediately dropped the files he was reading and made his way home. He felt extremely guilty towards their argument earlier, knowing full well that he was to blame, not her.<br>Yet when he returned back to the apartment, he was met with Bethany carrying some boxes up the stairs. "Um Beth?"  
>"Oh, good," She said, not entirely happy with his appearance, but thankful for it. "Can you take this box up to our neighbour? We've been trying to get all her stuff into her apartment for the last hour. Just us girls."<br>"Sure," Steve answered taking the box with ease. "When-when are we going to talk?"  
>"Not now," Bethany told him before running down the stairs two by two to get another box, no doubt.<br>Steve sighed, but did as she asked him. Before entering the neighbour's apartment, he knocked on the doorframe. "Hello?"  
>"Come in!" A feminine voice called before a curly head blond came forward. "Hi! You must be Steve."<br>"Yeah, hi," Steve said giving her a polite smile. "Where would you like this?"  
>"Oh, just put it with the rest of the stuff," she said, pointing to a stack of boxes. "I'm Kate, by the way."<br>"Nice to meet you," Steve said honestly as he put the box down. "I didn't even know someone was moving in."  
>"Yeah, spur of the moment thing," Kate said, putting her hands in her back pockets. "Needed to be closer to work, and my old apartment just wasn't cutting it."<br>"What do you do?" Steve asked as he watched Bethany come back up the stairs carrying a smaller box than before.  
>"I'm a nurse," Kate shared. "Nothing as interesting as you two."<br>"No, it's noble," Bethany said as Steve took the box away from her and put it on top of the pile.  
>"I know firsthand how important medical care is," Steve assured her. "No matter the circumstances."<br>"And I have a medical degree, so I respect you greatly," Bethany added.  
>"Well, thank you for welcoming me," Kate said. "Not to mention help with my boxes. That would've been the last one, right?"<br>Bethany nodded, "I took the liberty to tip the moving guys, even if they didn't do much. Or anything really."  
>Kate chuckled, looking at her feet momentarily. "I'd offer you two coffee or something in exchange for your help, but I don't really have much."<br>"Non-sense," Bethany said waving a hand in dismissal. "I have a lasagna in the fridge. Why don't you join us for dinner?"  
>"Oh, I don't want to impose," Kate tried.<br>"I'm offering," Bethany insisted. "We'd love some company, right Steve?"  
>Steve looked at Bethany for a second, her eyes clearly reading for him to agree with her or else. "Of course," Steve answered quickly.<p>

* * *

><p>As Kate left, Bethany moved to clean the dishes, only for Steve to intercept her. "I'll do them," he told her firmly, knowing full well how much she hated cleaning dishes.<br>She didn't protest, just sat at the table, picking up a magazine and flipping through it. Steve quietly did all the dishes, occasionally looking over his shoulder to see her still looking through the magazine. When the dishes were done, Steve dried his hands and sat across from her, patiently waiting for her to put the magazine down. He noticed with mild interest that the magazine was a bridal one, and that clearly their little spat wasn't getting in the way of their marriage plans.  
>Finally, reaching the last page, she slowly closed the magazine and put it down. "Yes?" She asked expectantly.<br>"I'm sorry," he confessed. "I wasn't mad at you. I was jealous that there was ever someone else in your life and I know that's wrong. If I wasn't here, I'd still want you to be happy."  
>"Apology accepted," Bethany told him with a small smile. "And just for the record, no one will ever make me as happy as you. No one ever has. Just remember that. Now, take a look at this."<br>She pulled out another magazine, letting it fall on the table in between them. Steve took it in his hands, reading the cover that read MRS. AMERICA, WEDDING OF THE CENTURY, a picture of Bethany at the grocery store gracing the cover, a large red circle around her left hand where her ring was. "Only took them a couple of weeks to put two and two together," Steve said opening it to page 22 as the cover promised the 'exclusive details'.  
>"They're calling us 'American Royalty'," Bethany said plainly. "And the wedding of the century? Please, William and Kate getting married is ten times more interesting than us."<br>Steve skimmed the pages, filled with 'close friend' and 'co-worker' statements that were all false. Apparently they were having a huge wedding in California and that the Avengers were all going to be there. It couldn't be more opposite since they were leaning towards a small wedding, right there in DC, close enough to Peggy's retirement home that she could participate. And as for the Avengers, so far only Tony was a given, since Bethany planned on asking him to walk her down the aisle since he was her only family. Even Natasha or Clint's attendance wasn't decided, that's how small they wanted it.  
>"Just be careful what you say in regards to it," Bethany instructed. "I already checked out Kate through the SHIELD database. She's totally clean, and through recommendations from past employers and professors, completely trustworthy. In fact, I don't think she would be living next to us if SHIELD didn't approve. They would have just bought the apartment and stuck an agent in there in between missions."<br>"What are we doing?" Steve asked, tossing the magazine onto the counter. "For the wedding I mean. Are we going to set a date?"  
>Bethany leaned back in her chair, pulling her knees up to rest against the table. "Pepper is coming into town next week. We're going to look at dresses. I want to talk to her and see how long it'll take to do everything, and then we'll set a date."<br>Steve nodded, getting out of his chair and moving behind her. Wrapping his arms around her, he placed a kiss on her cheek. "Time for bed?"  
>Bethany smirked, "I'm not tired."<br>"Neither am I," Steve said huskily into her ear before picking her up and bringing her to their room laughing.

* * *

><p>Bethany massaged her temples as the harsh lights from the lab beamed down. Banner, Dr. Streiten and Bethany had been sitting in the lab at Stark Tower for almost three hours. Both doctors had finally finished going through Bethany's medical files and they were meeting it the Tower in attempt to start brainstorming. So far, Bethany had given more blood samples than was physically possible. Well, if she was normal.<br>"Look at the barrier," Banner instructed. "Normal cells don't have that. And when the cells are damaged, it's the barrier that reattaches before the cell heals."  
>"So the key is finding a way to eliminate the barrier," Bethany said tiredly. "Now how do we do that if the barrier continuously regenerates?"<br>"Lots of tests," Streiten stated the obvious. "We'll figure something out. In the meantime, I was able to get a hold of Dr. Erskine's old notes on the serum before you took it. It's extremely vague, but maybe we'll be able to find a gap in his work and put two and two together."  
>"At least it's a start," Banner assured Bethany. "It couldn't hurt to get some samples of Steve's blood. See the difference. It may help."<br>"He's on a mission right now," Bethany explained. "But as soon as he gets back I'll get them and send them to you."  
>"Will he be okay with that?" Streiten asked.<br>"Why wouldn't he?" Bethany asked, getting out of her chair. "I'm not aging now, and we're going to get married. Surely he doesn't want to be fifty and married to someone who looks like she's 23."  
>"Does Steve age?" Banner questioned suddenly. "Has that even been tested?"<br>"I've done all those tests," Bethany answered. "He's aging. Which is why I want to try and get this done as soon as possible."  
>"We're not rushing anything," Banner insisted, speaking from experience. "If we rush, we'll look over things."<br>Bethany sighed, knowing he was right. It was her life they were talking about, something that over the years became something of such little value to her. Now, it meant something. Everything was falling into place, she couldn't just take the chance and ruin it. She had faith in her relationship with Steve, so waiting a few more years as reassurance wouldn't be a bad thing. Would it?  
>"Okay," Bethany agreed. "And you're right. I should talk about Steve, especially because now I know this is what I want."<br>"You three almost done?" Tony said as he came into the lab. "Bethany and I have lunch plans."  
>Bethany looked at the two doctors only for them to shrug. "Okay, let's go." Bethany said, rolling down her sleeves and grabbing her jacket. "By the way, you're paying."<br>Tony said nothing as they made their way to the garage level and got into one of Tony's car. Bethany offered to drive, but as usual, Tony took the driver's seat. Bethany had a theory it was because he didn't trust anyone else driving him after his parents' accident. He wanted full control of the any situation if he could help it.  
>"Any luck?" Tony asked before a yawn escaped his lips.<br>"It's coming along," Bethany answered, watching as Tony slipped some sunglasses over his eyes. "Tony, when was the last night you got a good night sleep?"  
>"My fourth birthday," he joked.<br>"Kid, I'm being serious," Bethany sighed. "Maybe you should try therapy."  
>"I don't need therapy," Tony insisted. "All I need is my toys. As long as I can tinker, I'm happy."<br>"I've been where you are, and that's not happiness," Bethany pointed out. "Wallowing in self-pity isn't good for you."  
>"It's not self-pity. Just please leave it, okay?"<br>The rest of the car ride was quiet except for Tony's music which he blasted as soon as the silence overtook them. Bethany was sure people could hear them coming from miles away, but knew that it was in the Stark genes to not push things when they've already been pushed too hard.  
>As they arrived at the restaurant, Tony immediately ordered something to drink. Bethany politely asked for a sex on the beach as she skimmed the menu. "So, what did you want to talk about?" Tony inquired Bethany as he played with his utensils.<br>"My wedding, actually," Bethany said putting down her menu.  
>"Ah yes, the day you become Mrs. Spangles," he responded, leaning back. "Do tell me, are you getting married in white? Or white, red and blue?"<br>"Can you be serious please?" Bethany asked exasperated. "Listen, Steve and I don't know much, but we want it to be small. We don't have that many friends anyways. But I do know that I want you to be there. And I want you to walk me down the aisle."  
>"Isn't that something a dad does?"<br>"Yeah, but my dad died in the 1930's," Bethany responded with a pointed look. "Those odd chances when growing up that I imagined my wedding, I always pictured your father would give me away."  
>"Oh, I see, so I'm the next best thing," Tony said.<br>Bethany sighed, leaning forward. "That's not it at all, Tony. And honestly, it's not just because you're my only family member. You mean a lot to me, okay? When you were growing up, all I wanted to do was protect you, but over the years, you've been doing the same to me. There's no one else in this world that I would like to give me away than you."  
>As the waitress came back with their drinks, Tony took a long sip before sighing. "I'll probably regret this later, but yeah. I'll give you to Stars and Stripes."<p>

* * *

><p>As October swept in, Pepper dragged Bethany away from the Triskelion to go wedding dress shopping. The night before, she was so excited. She wanted to try on everything. Mermaids, ball gowns, strapless, halter. Every style, every cut. More times than not did she want to show Steve the possibilities, but Pepper kept reminding her that if she picked one of the dresses she showed him, it would be bad luck.<br>But as Pepper picked her up from work, Bethany felt a nervous ball of jitters invade her stomach. It no longer seemed like the afternoon was going to be fun, but a terrifying experience. It could be cold feet, but it seemed deeper than that. It could even be the slew of articles on her and Steve to surface throughout the months, more consistently since their engagement. It was almost like their entire lives were out in the open, past, present and future. The gossip pages and magazines had basically planned out every little aspect of their lives, and that terrified the fuck out of her.  
>Thus, as they stepped into the bridal store, the colour white dominating, Bethany felt like she was going to be sick, a concept she hadn't experienced in years. Pepper's sickeningly excited smile didn't help matters as she was dragged around the store by the redhead and the sales consultant. Bethany didn't even get to give her input as the two women selected numbers off the racks. In fact, Bethany wasn't even there mentally. She was just going through the motions, wondering what she was getting herself into.<br>The next thing she knew, she was in a poofy Vera Wang dress, looking at her reflection. That's when she broke down. Collapsing to the floor, the dress pooling around her, she began to hyperventilate. The sales consult left to get her some water and a bag to breathe into while Pepper moved carefully to her and began to soothingly rub her back.  
>"Just relax," Pepper cooed. "I know it's overwhelming."<br>"Steve," Bethany breathed. "I need to talk to him."  
>Pepper quickly moved to pull the broken girl's phone from her pant pocket, selecting Steve's number and quietly talking to him before handing the phone to Bethany. "Doll, what's wrong? You were so excited last night."<br>"I know," Bethany said, choking back a sob. "Oh god, I don't know Steve. It's not cold feet-or maybe it is. I don't know. I just don't—"  
>"Okay, just breathe. Beth? Talk to me," Steve continued, his voice alone soothing her. "Just tell me everything going through your head. Don't worry about filtering it, okay?"<br>"I want to marry you," She began, running a hand through her hair. "I do. That's not it at all. Fuck, I don't even know. Okay? Maybe it's just all this and work? I just-I just keep thinking about the future and it scares me, and I don't know why."  
>"Are you upset about possibly leaving SHIELD?"<br>"Maybe," she said with a sigh. "It's been a constant. And know our future is lying in front of us, and it's supposed to be bright, but all I see is a dim light. We don't know what'll happen, and it'll be so different for both of us, not to mention the fact that we could mess up and then ruin our lives."  
>"Okay," Steve responded slowly. "Beth, I think you're afraid of the future. You've never planned this far ahead, and now other people are doing it for you. It's not a distant dream, but becoming reality. Change is scary, but it can be great. Does that seem right to you?"<br>"Yeah," Bethany told him with a small smile. "I think that's it. God, Steve I saw this article this morning and they had picked out our dream house and all I could think was 'how do you know what we want?' Fuck, I hate this. Why can't we just let the future happen?"  
>"As a SHIELD agent, I think you should know why planning and following through is crucial."<br>"Yes, but more times than not, all hell breaks loose and I have to go rogue," Bethany reminded him.  
>"Beth, we're not giving us a timeline. We don't even have a date set. Okay? We're doing this as slow as you need. I'm not forcing you into anything. We're equals."<br>She chuckled, shaking her head. "I don't know why that's funny to me, but it is."  
>"Laughing is a good thing in this situation," Steve told her, a chuckle in his own tone. "Feeling better?"<br>"Just hearing your voice helped," Bethany promised.  
>"So you're good now?"<br>Using all her strength, she stood up and took in a deep breath. "Better," she corrected. "I just need to remind myself that my future is in my hands now. For the first time in a long time, it's me who's giving the orders."

* * *

><p>She had picked a dress. And not just any dress, but <em>the<em> dress. Mermaid styled, subtle lace and diamonds decorating it, a sweetheart, strapless neckline and a diamond belt with a bow in the back. The second she slipped it on, even before seeing herself in the mirror, she knew it was the right dress. The sparkle of the dress matched her ring perfectly, and while it was fancy, it wasn't too over the top. The second the fabric molded to her body, she felt at complete ease. She wasn't scared, or panicked.  
>The store was keeping it on hold until they picked a date, Bethany not wanting to have it at the apartment for Steve's wandering eyes, and while she trusted Pepper with it, she lived with Tony who had the tendency to set things on fire from time to time. She didn't want to risk it. Not after the way she felt in it. And as soon as she saw herself in the mirror, she could picture Steve's face, and knew it would be all too worth it.<br>At the end of every week, they sat down on their designated 'date night', which was usually take out and a movie, and planned one detail of the wedding before covering Steve's list of pop culture references. So far, it was little things. Colour scheme, flowers, caterer, guests. Sticking to the idea of keeping the wedding simple, it was black and white, red and white roses, pasta dinner, and only a handful of guests; Tony, Pepper, Peggy, Natasha, Clint and Bruce. Bruce kindly declined since he didn't want an accident to occur while in Peggy's presence, and they understood completely. Natasha said she'd come if she wasn't slammed with a mission. If Thor was on earth, or in known whereabouts, they would've invited him, as Steve felt an odd companionship with the demi-god. Personally, Bethany thought it was because Thor, like Steve, didn't understand pop culture references and a lot of the technological advances. As for Sharon, Steve invited 'Kate', but as Bethany already told her that Peggy was going to be there, they both agreed that it might be dangerous if Peggy had a memory lapse and spilled the beans about who she really was.  
>Steve suggested they invite Fury, Hill and some other SHIELD agents, and while Bethany wasn't against it, she wasn't particularly fond of the idea. So he made a list—something he was doing a lot of lately—and Bethany spoke to each one separately. Fury said he was a busy man, but would send them a gift. Hill's answer was basically the same, except she said nothing about a gift and instead asked when Bethany would be resigning. Nonetheless, a fight broke out between them after that.<br>Rumlow was on the list, but Bethany pointed out that her nor did Steve ever talk to him outside of work, or about anything other than work. Not like with Natasha and Clint, where the four of them would talk regularly in the halls, or the break room. On some occasions, Bethany would have one or both of them over. It was almost like they were completely normal people on some days, but their stories often ended with reports of missions.  
>Since their party was so small, Bethany suggested they have it at the retirement home garden. That way, Peggy wouldn't have to go too far, and the flowers there were absolutely beautiful when it bloom. Steve didn't question her judgement and that was another thing crossed off the list. All that was left was the date.<br>"It'll have to be after winter," Bethany said as they laid in bed, both of their hearts hammering from their love making session. "May, maybe?"  
>"Careful not to plan it around the battle of New York anniversary," Steve reminded her.<br>"How about May 18? I think it'll be a Saturday, if my math is correct."  
>"And it usually is," Steve said with a chuckle.<br>"'Usually'?" Bethany threw back, making a face. "It _always_ is."  
>"May 18th it is, then." Steve concluded. "Seems so far away."<br>Bethany sighed, eyes fluttering closed. "It's better this way. Let's us settle everything that needs to be settled."  
>Steve was silent for a couple of minutes, his fingers drawing lazy circles on her back and she hummed an unfamiliar tune under her breath. "What-what did you mean by that? Let what settle?"<br>"Nothing," she answered, before shaking her head. "No, not nothing. I just… I'm hoping that we'll have made progress with finding a solution to my non-aging by then, that's all."  
>"That's a lot," Steve corrected. "So you've made your decision? Because you know I'll love you no matter what."<br>"You say that now, but Steve it's more than that. I can't watch another person I love grow old, live life and die and I'm the same as always. Why? You don't seemed thrilled."  
>"It's not that, Beth," Steve said with a sigh. "I want you to be happy, and ultimately this will do just that. But right now, I don't have to worry about you getting hurt on missions, or just in general. I guess it'll just be a hard thing to adjust to."<br>"This is a decision I want to make with you," Bethany said, raising her head to look into his eyes. "Steve, I'm not just doing this for me. I'm doing this for us. But I'd rather really start living my life and take this chance. And while its not healthy to live a life in fear, this isn't either. What-what do you think?"  
>He leaned down and kissed her tenderly. "I think that you're right."<p>

"Get used to it," She told him with a wink, earning her a hearty laugh.

* * *

><p><strong>**AN: So remember, this is it for two weeks! But action coming up!**

**Kadienewberg: Haha, does this answer your question about flashbacks? I've planned to have those flashbacks after the proposal for a while now. As for Peggy's husband, I'm almost certain that when they make _Agent Carter_, they'll tell us who she marries, but until then, it'll remain a mystery. **  
><strong>ANGEL LOVE 1728: What are the odds? Love that movie! <strong>  
><strong>FeliciaFelicis: Thank you so much! I've grown comfortable with my writing over the years, and it's always reassuring to know that my years of shaping it have paid off. <strong>  
><strong>Ohthatboy35: Thank you for all your reviews! Each and every one of them put a smile on my face!<strong>


	30. Chapter 30

****A/N: Woo! I'm back from vacation and you know what that means… IRON MAN 3 PLOT. **

Chapter 30

Before they knew it, it was December and Bethany and Steve had a long talk regarding Christmas. It was their first one together as a couple, so they made sure they got the time off to spend it together. The only problem was… they had different ideas on how to spend the holiday. Steve wanted traditional. Christmas trees, carols and exchanging of gifts. Bethany however, wanted away from the snow, away from the songs and away from being attacked by painful memories. Finally, Steve caved.

"Thank you," Bethany said, snuggling deeper into Steve's embrace as they laid in bed that night. The TV was flashing in the room, it being long forgotten, but it's hum comforting.

"Of course," he told her, kissing her forehead. "And you made a good point about us having that traditional Christmas when we have kids."

"How many do you want?" Bethany asked suddenly, eyes on the TV. "Kids, I mean."

"Truthfully? Two? Three? As many as we can?"

Bethany chuckled, laying a kiss on Steve's chest. "I'll see what I can do," she replied with a smirk before breaking out into laughter.

"What?" Steve asked, smiling slightly while watching her face, illuminated by the TV, holding that charismatic smile.

"You and Tony made a baby of your own," She said in between chuckles.

"What?" Steve questioned, but when he looked up to the TV, his question was answered.

"Looks like War Machine got a little paint job," Bethany chuckled, moving from Steve's arms to sit up straight against the headboard. "Wait, 'Iron Patriot'? Oh, Tony's not going to be happy with that name change."

"Sounds less intimidating though," Steve answered, moving for the remote and turning off the TV.

"That's exactly why," Bethany explained before letting out a sigh. The Mandarin attacks were increasing, and so were the TV channel hijackings. No one knew where this guy was, as even SHIELD was having a difficult time locating him. A lot of people were asking where the Avengers were, as they wanted a response team, but President Ellis wanted complete control over the situation. "You ready for bed?"

"No," he told her, fingers playing with the hem of her shirt.

"Why'd you turn off the TV?" She asked, as his hand slipped under her shirt and moving up the side of her body.

"I had something else in mind," he answered with a small smile.

"Well, by all means," she said with a flirty tone, but before they could kiss, Steve's phone began to ring.

"Sorry," Steve apologized as he reached for his phone.

Bethany sighed, laying down on the bed while Steve took the call. The only people beside her that really called Steve was someone at SHIELD with a mission. And in recent days, there had been more and more missions for him and less for her. She wasn't sure why the switch was happening, but she was able to spend more time studying her cells and understanding her body.

So far, the three on the project were able to come up with a couple ideas. Banner was apprehensive and continually trying to convince Bethany that their ideas could have unwanted side effects, but all Bethany could focus on was her desire to finally settle down.

For someone who spent the last 70 years dedicated to work, to SHIELD and to saving the world, she was finally worn out and ready for something new. When at grocery stores or walking in the park, kids would walk up to her and Steve, asking for a picture or an autograph. Just watching Steve interact with them, smiling and always making them feel special made her want kids of their own.

When Steve hung up, he got out of bed. "Another mission?" Bethany asked, pulling his pillow closer to her to cuddle with.

"Yeah," Steve said pulling on his pants from earlier.

"When will you be back?"

Leaning down to kiss her head, he sighed. "I don't know. Could be two days. But I promise I'll be back for Christmas."

"Don't make promises you can't keep," she told him as he pulled the blankets tighter around her and picked Molly up from the foot of the bed and placed her closer to Bethany.

"I'm not," he assured her. "I'll meet you in California, okay?" Bethany grumbled, but nodded. "Go visit Tony. I know you're worried about him. And this will make you feel better."

"I love you," she said wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him softly. Tony's phone calls were becoming less and less common and Pepper's phone calls, mostly complaining about the billionaire were more frequent. Bethany was afraid that Tony was turning into what she was before Steve returned.

"I love you too," he told her softly.

* * *

><p>As Bethany pulled up to Tony's Malibu mansion, she smiled as Rhodey pulled in behind her. "Long time, no see," He said getting out of his car. "Coming up to check on the mess?"<p>

"Sounds about right," Bethany responded as the two made their way into the house. "Pepper's been going half way insane with him lately. With Steve away, I figured I'd check up on him."

"_Welcome Colonel, Agent Stark_," JARVIS said.

"Where's Tony, J?" Bethany asked, pulling out her phone and quickly reading a message from Steve saying their mission was underway.

_"Downstairs. And might I add that he is once again working on the Iron Legion."_

Bethany groaned, "Thanks JARVIS."

"No wonder Pepper is so frustrated with him," Rhodey said as they walked down the stairs, JARVIS opening the glass doors for them. Tony was in the middle of the workshop, mumbling to himself while playing with a hunk of metal.

Bethany looked around the shop in awe. The room was a mess. Pieces of Iron Man suits were scattered on the ground. Dum-E was in a corner, wearing a hat that read 'dunce', holding a broom and sweeping the floor. There were dozens upon dozens of mugs and coffee cups on the table tops, work benches, chairs and ground. But more importantly, the walls surrounding the workshop was filled with glass pane, each holding a new Iron Man suit.

"Holy shit," she let out.

Tony's head snapped up from his work and Bethany held back a gasp. There were large and dark bags under his eyes, showing true fatigue. It was clear he was exhausted, but unable to sleep. Bethany knew exactly what that was like. "Knocking is always nice, you know."

"Get up," Rhodey instructed. "We're taking you out."

"We are?" Bethany asked, brows furrowed. Rhodey's raised eyebrows made her rephrase her sentence. "I mean, we are. You need sun. Some food and a beverage that isn't filled with caffeine?"

"Where's the fun in that?" Tony asked, but started walking towards them.

"I'm buying," Bethany offered. "And if you're a good boy, I'll even let you order an alcoholic beverage or two."

"Just the three of us?" Tony questioned, picking up a dish towel to wipe off the grease from his hands.

"That we know of," Rhodey said.

"No Captain Freezy?"

Bethany groaned, so far past Tony's endless nicknames for her fiancée. "Firstly, stop calling him names, Tony. Start acting your age. Secondly, no. He's on a mission."

Throwing down the towel, Tony leaned against the workbench he was by. "Fine, I'll lay off. But I'm still calling him these things in my mind. Let's go. I'm taking my suit, by the way. Testing out a few kinks."

With that, he started up the stairs. Bethany and Rhodey stood there for another couple of seconds, taking in the messy lab. "Dum-E?" Bethany called to the robot. "How you doing?" The robot moved in response and she gave it a small smile. "You think you could start cleaning this mess up?"

"That was a lot easier than I thought it would be," Rhodey admitted, opening the glass panel door for her.

"He must need to talk to us," Bethany deducted. "I think we both know on what."

"It's classified," Rhodey reminded her.

Bethany shook her head, "It shouldn't be. Not after New York. People need to be aware of what is really happening."

"Says a super spy," he chuckled as they climbed up the stairs.

"Let's just say, being engaged to Captain America shifts a _lot_ of your beliefs. I find myself thinking about things in a completely different light now. It's no longer about just getting the mission done, but doing it morally. It fucking sucks."

Rhodey let out a hearty laugh. "It's going well then? I don't think I've ever seen you this happy."

"I could be happier," Bethany admitted. "If he was okay," she said, head gesturing in Tony's direction where he was changing his shirt. "I'm really worried about him."

"I know," Rhodey agreed. "But he'll be fine. You're here now, I'm here. Pepper is here. He's surrounded by people who want to help."

"You don't get it. He's _been _surrounded by people who want to help. Sometimes, it's not enough. Take it from someone who knows."

"You don't think he's turning into… well, who you were, do you? I mean, take no offense, but you had very little emotion and were all work, no play."

"It's a slippery slope. And we're more alike than anyone would like to admit."

As they three of them left the mansion, Tony in his suit and Rhodey and Bethany carpooling, they followed the red and gold body to his restaurant of choice. After getting a table and ordering some food, Bethany got a phone call from Steve.

"Sorry," she told the two men as she answered the phone. "Hey, everything okay?"

_"Minor setback," _Steve began with. Trying not to sound too disappointed Bethany asked what that meant exactly. "_It means we're being sent to India now where the guy fled to. This may take a couple more days."_

She let out a small sigh, closing her eyes. "Okay. Well stay safe."

_"I'll still be with you for Christmas," _Steve vowed. _"I've got time_."

"Just focus on the task at hand," Bethany reminded him. "And Steve? I'd rather you come home in one piece a couple days later than on Christmas all battered and bruised. Take your time."

_"Are you disappointed?"_

"No, I just…" She stepped away from the table, not wanting to put up with Tony's ridicule. "Steve, I just hate being away from you. I miss you and it's only been a couple of hours. I can't believe I'm one of those girls."

"_I miss you too,"_ Steve told her truthfully. _"But just know that every goal of my mission is not completing it, but getting home to you."_

"Be safe," she repeated. "Love you."

_"I love you too Beth," _he said before they hung up.

Bethany took another minute to collect her emotions before returning to the table. She had worried back in World War Two when Steve was on missions. Even before they were together, she found herself up late at night wondering if he was okay, and feeling her heart soar when he came back. But now, she absolutely loathed when he was away and she wasn't there keeping her eye on him. She had lost him once and it drove her to a dark place. She wasn't sure she could do it again.

"Everything okay?" Rhodey asked as Bethany took her seat once again.

"Yeah," she responded, taking a sip of her soda and turning her attention to the TV where _Fashion Police _was playing. "Joan Rivers needs to lay off the Botox."

_"The same suit but painted red, white and blue. Look at that. And they've also renamed him Iron Patriot. You know… in case the paint was too subtle."_

"It tested well with focus groups, alright?" Rhodey quickly jumped to it, sensing Tony's emotions.

"I AM IRON PATRIOT!" Tony teased in a deep voice, making Bethany chuckle a little.

"Listen," Rhodey started only for Tony to interrupt with an "it sucks."

"War Machine was a little too aggressive, alright?" Rhodey went on. "This sends a better message."

Tony was quiet a couple more seconds before turning serious. "So what's really going on? Mandarin. Seriously, can we talk about this guy? Can I get something from one of you? Either of you?"

"I've got nothing," Bethany offered. "President Ellis wants SHIELD off of this, and even when we try to get a lead, we end up empty. Usually by now, we've already nabbed the guy. It's a weird case, Tony. Even Fury seems stressed out by this, but there's nothing he can do but sit back and watch."

"Thanks for nothing," Tony said, turning to Rhodey.

"It's classified information, Tony," he began with. "Okay, there've been nine bombings-"

"Nine," Tony repeated.

"The public only knows about three," Rhodey continued. "But here's the thing… nobody can ID a device. There's no bomb casings-"

"You know I can help," Tony insisted. "Just ask! I got a ton of new tech. I got-I got a prehensile suit. I got a bomb disposal. Catches explosions mid-air."

"When's the last time you got a good night's sleep?"

"Einstein slept three hours a year," Tony argued. "Look what he did."

"Erskine slept eight hours every night," Bethany countered. "Look what _he_ did."

"People are concerned about you Tony," Rhodey explained. "We're concerned about you."

"You gonna come at me like that? Is this what this is all about? Buy me lunch, give me some top secret information and then throw that in my f-"

"No, look, I'm not trying to be a dick-" his words trailed off as two kids came up to Tony. "-tator."

Bethany chuckled, "Nice save."

"Would you mind signing my drawing?" The girl asked, showing him her paper.

"If Richard doesn't mind," Tony said, following the continuation of masking the word 'dick'. "You alright with this, Dick?"

"Fine with me," Rhodey said.

"Bethany?"

"Hey, anything for the kids," Bethany said with a smile.

As Tony took the picture, Bethany felt her heart clench at the drawing of Iron Man bringing the missile up into the worm hole Loki and the cube made. "What's your name?" he asked of the little girl while taking a purple crayon.

"Erin," she responded with a smile.

Tony nodded, then looked to the little blond boy with glasses. "By the way, I loved you in _A Christmas Story_."

Bethany bit back a laugh, also noting the similarities between the two boys. _Add that to the list_, she thought, knowing that Steve still hadn't seen the majority of classic Christmas movies. _Oh, god. He's a cutie_, she thought, watching him. The conversation of the night before with Steve came whirling back. As much as she didn't want kids before, now she wanted them tenfold now.

"Listen, the Pentagon is scared," Rhodey went on. "After what happened in New York… aliens? Come on. They need to look strong. Stopping the Mandarin is a priority, but it's not-"

"It's not superhero business," Tony concluded.

"No, it's not, quite frankly. It's American business."

"Then why isn't-" he stopped as the crayon snapped in two and Bethany's gaze was pulled away from the little boy and onto a tense Tony.

"Tony? Kid, you okay?" She asked, placing a hand on his arm as he brought his hand up to cover his eyes.

"I broke the crayon," Tony explained, strained.

"Are you okay, Mr. Stark?" The little girl asked, concerned.

"Hey, take it easy," Rhodey said quietly. "Tony-"

But as the little boy leaned in, Bethany caught wind of him asking "How did you get out of the wormhole?"

Tony freaked out, pushing his chair out, with his hand on his heart and leaving the restaurant. Bethany watched for a moment, so confused. She shared a look with the little boy, her giving him a reassuring smile before following her nephew.

"What's happening?" Rhodey asked, hot on her trail.

"Mental breakdown," Bethany whispered, not wanting this to be public knowledge. "I think…" she stopped, seeing him enter the Iron Man suit parked outside. "Rhodey, I think he's having an anxiety attack."

"You sure?"

She nodded, starting her steps again. She had only had one her entire life, and it was just like that. It was such a long time ago, but she never forgot it. And looking back now, it was stupid. Her anxiety attack was over her unwanted pregnancy and not knowing what to do. She couldn't breathe, couldn't control herself. Everything felt like it was closing in on her and all she wanted was to grasp a moment of control.

While Bethany stayed in her spot, she watched Rhodey go up to the suit and speak to it, only for it to zoom up into the sky. Bethany shrugged, making her way over to him. "Take it from someone who knows; hovering doesn't help."

"How did you get over your anxiety?"

She placed a hand over her lower abdominal, taking in deep breath before quietly saying "I eliminated what was giving me anxiety. And ultimately, it turned me into a monster."

* * *

><p>Retreating to her hotel room after the disastrous lunch, Bethany ran a bath and slipped into it. The hot water enveloped her as she let out a relaxing sigh. It was well-needed as she was highly strung, worried about her fiancée and nephew simultaneously.<p>

What she really wanted to do was tinker. Just something simple really. Taking apart a computer and putting it back together. Reprogramming a security system. Even building a car from scratch. Her fingers drummed against the tub's side, them itching to do something besides being helpless. Her nephew didn't want her help and her soon-to-be husband didn't need it.

Steve's ringtone went off and Bethany reached for her phone that was resting on the toilet seat. Putting it on speaker phone, she brought her feet up out of the water and flat against the wall. "What's the update?"

_"You sure this is a secure line?"_ Steve doubled checked before telling her anything.

"Absolutely," Bethany assured.

_"Fury is sending Natasha in, but that's really all I can say. We've got basically nowhere since the last time I called. But I figured this would ease your mind a little."_

"It does," Bethany said, taking her hair out of its clip and letting it fall, the tips dipping in the water.

_"You don't have faith in me?" _He asked with a chuckle.

"It's not that," Bethany tried to explain. "I just… last time you were on a mission by yourself, you disappeared for 70 years."

_"I always have a strike team," _Steve reminded her.

"You know how you still worry about me even when you don't have to? Like when I got thrown off the top floor of a forty two story building, and you held me and made sure I got all the attention I needed, even though I was going to heal anyways?"

_"Yes," _Steve said, letting out a sigh. He wasn't overly fond about that memory, seeing her broken and beaten like no one ever should be.

"Well, I worry about you even though I know you can take care of yourself, and your team will be there, but I can't help but worry. That's what a wife is for, Steve."

It was silent for a second, but then she could hear the smile in his voice. _"Do you ever feel like we're already married?"_

"Every day," she answered, listening to some people in the background of the conversation. "Do you have to go now?"

_"No,"_ Steve told her. _"I can talk a little longer. Something on your mind, doll?"_

"Just Tony," she admitted. "He's not doing well Steve. He… he had a full blown anxiety attack today. He isn't sleeping, only working. Sound familiar?"

_"You Starks deal with your problems the wrong way."_

Bethany sighed, pulling her knees up to her body. "It's not that, Steve. It's... it's hard to understand, or even explain. But all we want to do is fix ourselves, but we can't. So we fix objects. At least we're fixing _something_. It's just… it's hard to see him this way. All his life, he's told me how he didn't want to be like Howard who spent all of Tony's life neck deep in work, ignoring his family for the most part. Now Tony is becoming just like him. Not ignoring his family and friends, but not listening to what we're saying."

_"He'll be okay," _Steve told her softly.

"How do you know that?"

_"I just do," _Steve answered, and she could picture his goofy reassuring smile. _"What he needs is to _want_ help. One day, he'll get it. Trust me."_

"I wish you were here," she told him softly, feeling her eyes well up.

_"Bethany, can you please not make me feel worse about not being with you?" _He pleaded.

"Can you please not call me Bethany, I feel like you're lecturing me," Bethany threw back. "Everyone else I can handle calling me Bethany, but you?"

He chuckled, _"I have to go now, Beth. I'll call you when I know more_."

"I'd prefer you calling me when you're _done."_

_ "Keep your fingers crossed."_

* * *

><p>She dreamt of Howard that night. He had been reoccurring in her dreams as of late, and she could never figure out why. It wasn't a bad dream, nor a good. He was just present. Just the two of them in his workshop, the gross smells that came with it. Every once in a while, something would be out of place, like Tony being there as well, or even little Theo. Occasionally, Steve would sneak up behind her and place kisses on her neck. But always, it was her and Howard just hanging out in the workshop in their home, playing with their toys.<p>

The loud ringing of her phone, not her alarm clock, woke her up. At first, she thought it was Steve, but after a moment of recognition, she realised it was Pepper instead. The woman sounded to be in near hysterics, an emotion she had never seen Pepper Potts in. Honestly, Bethany thought the redhead always kept her cool. But instead, she was met with a slur of babbling cries. She got out only a couple words here and there, but the ones that stuck were 'Tony', 'suit', 'attack' and then later on 'Happy', 'theatre', 'explosion' and what she first thought was 'hostile' but then put two and two together and realized it was 'hospital'.

Happy, Tony's bodyguard, or at least before he became Iron Man and it was actually a joke, was one of the few people through the years that would earn a chuckle from Bethany. The guy was a trustworthy person, and was privy, like Rhodey and Pepper, to Bethany's non-aging. While they didn't talk often, she knew how much Happy meant to Tony, and immediately got out of bed and was on her way to said hospital.

The radio stations talked about the explosion, there not being very much information, and Bethany couldn't help but think about what Rhodey said earlier about there not being any bomb casing at the Mandarin bombing sites. She found herself turning around from the hospital and to the theatre. Something didn't seem right and she couldn't shake the weird feeling surrounding her.

When she got to the site, she flashed her SHIELD badge and got to look around. Just as she suspected, no bomb casings. There were shadows of bodies on the ground however, and Bethany looked at one for a long time, trying to fit everything together. The Mandarin was hitting close to home now, not spots far away and that would barely make the news if he didn't make it known. Why here? Why now? And was it truly the Mandarin who had given the attack order?

Massaging her temples, she could feel a headache coming on. So many things came easy to her, and this just wasn't. Taking out her phone, she asked Fury to send a team down to scan the area, knowing full well she wouldn't be able to sleep until SHIELD got some intel on exactly what happened.

* * *

><p>Tony spent the night at the hospital. Bethany told Pepper to go home and get some rest and that she would watch over both Happy and Tony. There were guards at Happy's door, at Tony's insistence, and Bethany sat with them, going over some of SHIELD's findings at the site. Earlier that morning, the Mandarin had made an announcement. Just as anticipated, he was behind it. And he was just getting started.<p>

When Tony finally emerged from Happy's room, Bethany fell into step with him. "What are you going to do?"

Tony stopped, turning to her. "What would you do?"

"I'd put a stop to him," she answered truthfully. "But nobody can get a hold of him. We've tried everything ever since the first attack. He's a ghost-"

"Then I won't find him. I'll let him find me. And he will."

Bethany sighed as Tony started walking away again. The outside of the hospital was filled with reporters and frankly, she just wasn't in the mood for it and seeing as Bethany had lent her car to Pepper, Tony was her drive back. "Pull the car closer to the door," she told him before Tony pushed open the doors and walked right through the reporters, only stopping once to talk to a reporter before throwing his phone and getting into his car.

As the car swung up to the door, Bethany took a deep breath, and quickly got into the car, the reporters starting to attack her with questions she couldn't quite comprehend. As soon as she slammed the door of the car, Tony took off. "What did you say?"

"I gave him my home address," Tony explained, a hard look on his face. "I told him I'm not afraid of him."

"You're waging a war against this guy, kid. SHIELD won't be there to back you up this time. Okay? We have to stay out of this."

"Then I'll be the only one fighting. SHIELD has _something _on this guy right?"

Bethany sighed, taking her phone out of her pocket. "His tactics, his attacks. As much as we can get on him, yes. Why?"

"'Cause I need to start somewhere," Tony said. "Are you going to help me?"

"I'd be going against direct orders from the President," Bethany informed him.

"So, that's a yes?" Tony clarified.

* * *

><p>Bethany watched as JARVIS complied all the information he could from various organizations, SHIELD included. She made a mental note that SHIELD's data frame needed to be revamped and the security tighter. If an AI could break the firewalls, a professional hacker could do it in no time.<p>

"Okay, what do we got here?" Tony said as the information was projected. "His name is an ancient Chinese war mantle meaning "advisor to the King". South American insurgency tactics. Talks like a Baptist preacher. There's lot of pageantry going on here… lots of theatre."

He closed the information and Bethany stood up from her seat as JARVIS projected the information SHIELD collected from the blast sight, 3D images of the people present. _"The heat from the blast was in excess of 3000 degrees Celsius. Any subjects within 12.5 yards were vaporized."_

"Don't forget no bomb casings," Bethany added. "A constant. I mean, how is that even possible? Creating a bomb from midair?"

"Talk to me Happy," Tony said, moving up to the 3D hologram of Happy. The details of Happy became more evident and it was clear that he was pointing to something. Tony then started playing around with the area. "When is a bomb not a bomb?"

"Any military victims?" Tony asked as a dog tag hologram popped up.

_"Not according to public records, sir," _JARVIS responded.

Bethany's phone buzzed as Tony asked JARVIS to perform more things, and Bethany moved to the corner to answer it. "Hello?"

_"Bethany Stark?"_

"Who is this?" She asked as she watched the holograms pull up the thermogenic signatures, then some disappearing as Tony requested for all the Mandarin attack's to vanish.

_"My name is Aldrich Killian," _the voice told her and Bethany couldn't help but cringe. There was something about this guy, already, that was driving her half way to insane. _"I'm part of Advance Idea Mechanics and I have a proposition for you."_

"How did you get this number?" Bethany said, clutching her phone and turning to the wall. "This is a secure phone line."

_"I have my ways,"_ Aldrich responded mysteriously. _"It's to my understanding that you are the head of the super soldier project at SHIELD. If we work together, we'll be able to recreate it, an _army_ of super soldiers, but even better than before."_

"SHIELD isn't trying to replicate the serum," Bethany informed him as the doorbell rang.

"Are we still at 'ding-dong'?" Tony asked. "We're supposed to be on total security lockdown. Come on, I threatened a terrorist."

_"No, but you are trying to un-do the effects on yourself, are you not?"_

Bethany straightened her back, noting Tony slipping out of the basement to answer the door. "I'm listening."

_"In order to un-do something, you first need to know how to _do_ it."_

"Listen, right now isn't a good time," Bethany said, having conflicted feelings. On one hand, her initial impression of the man was not to trust him. But now, her desire to have a normal life was overshadowing her previous conclusion. All she needed was to think about this straight, research the guy a little. Maybe even talk to someone at SHIELD. Banner. Tony. Most importantly, Steve.

_"Yes, I understand your nephew has waged a war on a terrorist."_

_ "Miss. Stark, I would suggest your presence upstairs," _JARVIS asked of her.

"I'm sorry Mr. Killian, but I have to go now." She hung up before he could say anymore and she quickly made her way upstairs.

Her brows frowned in confusion at the scene in front of her. The giant bunny Tony bought Pepper for Christmas wasn't it either. No, instead Pepper and Tony were in a full blown out fight regarding whether they were to stay or leave, Tony not budging. But the weirdest thing was the third wheel to the fight, a brunette who seemed to be on Pepper's side.

"It's a big bunny, relax about it!" Tony snapped.

Tony and Pepper began to fight just the two of them, the brunette turning to the TV. Bethany's attention was also pulled to the screen, the feed on Tony's house with the words 'STARK ISSUES THREAT' bannered at the bottom. "Shit," Bethany let out seeing a stream of fog come onto the screen as the brunette asked Tony and Pepper if they needed to worry about it.

Bethany was used to things happening fast. But as she turned to the window, the nuke streaming into the house with great speed, everything seemed to go in slow motion. Everyone's bodies were thrown backwards as ash filled the room. She watched as the Iron Man suit flew across the room, not onto Tony, but Pepper.

As she hit the wall, she could feel blood instantly leaving her scalp. She didn't let this stop her as she stumbled up to check on the unconscious brunette, looking as Tony surveyed the damage. "She's breathing," she announced, watching as the ceiling cracked, almost falling on Tony, but Pepper, still in the suit, covering him.

"I got you," Pepper told him.

"I got you first," Tony replied as Bethany regained her full strength, her head completely healing. "Like I said, we can't stay here."

Bethany moved to pick up the girl as more nukes came flying into the room. "I can't carry her alone," Bethany shouted to them, realizing her shoulder was out of it's socket. Again.

A loud crashing sound filled the room, and Bethany looked up to where a giant hole was in the floor, Tony on one side, the rest of them on the other. "Get her," Tony instructed. "I'm going to find a way around." Pepper didn't move and Tony snapped. "Stop stopping! Get her, get outside! GO!"

The girl seemed to wake up in the nick of time, Pepper quickly pulling her up and away. "GO!" Tony yelled to Bethany.

"Like hell!" She responded, but as more nukes came hurling in, her words were lost. "TONY!" She yelled as the house began to crack in two, Tony falling towards the shattering windows.

_"Sir, Miss. Potts is clear of the structure."_

"DUCK!" Tony shouted to Bethany, and at first she thought it was for the bullets now being shot into the room. Even if they wouldn't have a serious effect on her, her nephew needed her in perfect health, not constantly healing. Then she realized that Tony had summoned the suit back to him and he wanted her down and away from the pieces.

The house continued to slip and Bethany took a deep breath before jumping to be on the same side as Tony. He quickly caught her before she fell. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm not leaving you!" She yelled at him, holding back a moan as a shard of glass flew by, cutting her cheek.

"JARVIS, where's my flight power?!"

_"Working on it sir. This is a prototype."_

They both slipped down the falling ground, towards the window and inevitably, the vast amount of water. Tony used the suit to eliminate one of the helicopters waiting outside the house with one goal in mind; Tony Stark's destruction.

Tony pulled himself up, ignoring JARVIS' insistence that the suit was not combat ready. "IS THAT SUIT GOOD FOR _ANYTHING_?!" Bethany shouted, pushing off the ground, wincing as her shoulder was jolted.

"That's two!" Tony said as the second copter was hit, but only came flying into the house.

Bethany threw herself down flat to avoid the blade of the helicopter, Tony doing the same, but their efforts were useless as the entire house fell off the slope and into the water. "HOLD ON!" Tony told her, holding her in his arms as the water enveloped them.

They slipped deeper and deeper into the abyss, the rubble that was Tony's house moved down with them. She could feel him struggling to free himself from it just as she was struggling to breathe. She had never suffocated before. It was a new pain all on its own, her lungs filling with water as her brain told her body to breath. Her nose and lungs burned, the desire to cough overtaking her, but knowing it wouldn't help. But through it all she refused to let go of Tony.

She could feel darkness overcoming her, her grasp on reality slipping away like a wet bar of soap. _Hold on_, she yelled at herself, but even her own thoughts were nothing but a whisper. Bethany fought, telling herself not to leave Tony no matter what, but her muscles refused to listen to her and she felt completely useless.

"LET GO!" Tony yelled at his aunt, water slowly filling his helmet. She gave one last tight squeeze to his body before she felt Tony force her off of him, her body slowly floating to the surface. _No, no, no! _She tried to scream. Tried to reason. _Swim!_

But nothing. The cold December water was chilling to the bone and she could feel that familiar feeling of death overcoming her. _No_, she whispered into the water before everything became black.

****A/N: So she wasn't even going to be at the house when that happened, but somehow this seemed to spill from my thoughts out to my fingertips. I'm going to see Cap 2 again today. For the fifth time. Yeah… I know, I have a problem. I think my family is going to have an intervention soon. That'll be interesting. **

**FeliciaFelicis: I love the ring too. It's always been my favorite. I'm excited for the wedding as well, as I love them! I've been to quite a few, even being the flower girl in my mother and godmother's weddings and a bridesmaid in my step mom's. It's always beautiful to be a part of something as promising as a wedding. And they'll be a special surprise when we get there!**

**Kadienewberg: Fingers crossed!**

**Guest: Thanks! I try to make the dialogue as realistic as possible. I'm glad to know it's making you laugh! I don't find myself to be funny, so at least my efforts are pulling through.**


	31. Chapter 31

****A/N: Wow, the enthusiasm I got from the last chapter were overwhelming. Thank you all for your ongoing support. I spent my days off typing this bad boy up. Because of your love and support, my sister and I decided to start writing a novel together. While it'll take a little time away from this, the Avengers fandom will always be my number one priority. Four months and this story is still going strong. **

Chapter 31

Bethany could feel her senses reawakening slowly. First came feeling. Her whole body felt cold and heavy, as if her limbs were dipped in water and left to freeze. It was painful, the tingling all over her body taking over. She wanted to move, desperately. Anything to create warmth in her body, but she couldn't, each part of her body as heavy as bricks.

Next came sound. The majority of the noise was soft and a blur, the words disappearing before her brain could make sense of what they meant. Whispers, cries, hush tones. Names. Tony. Steve. Fury. But it was her name repeated the most, not sounding the same as the others. It was a plea. A mantra. It often came with something rubbing against her face or back of her hand. A pad of a finger. Most likely a thumb. It was slowly bringing her to hear other sounds. A steady hum and beeping. At first she thought it was ringing in her ears, but as it became more present and less of an echo, she realized it was a heart beat monitor.

Smell overwhelmed her next. Anti-bacterial wash, sickness, flowers and… chocolate? The first two only confirmed that she was in some sort of medical facility, and by the overuse of the disinfectant, most likely a hospital. But the smell of chocolate confused her.

She laid there for what felt like an eternity, using all of her strength to try and move just a little. But she body remained heavy and cold, leaving her alone to her thoughts. She had let go of him. With only one good arm, the other still dislocated, she could only hold on so long and with him forcefully trying to push her towards the surface, she had no chance. But she couldn't stop thinking about him thinking about her before himself, even if he knew she'd be okay.

_Move,_ she told her brain over and over again. _Move, move, move, move!_ She had to find him. Make sure he was safe. Get the Mandarin and make him pay. Her to do list was steadily increasing, but her mobility remained the same. The pad of a finger caressed her face again, it aiding in warming her body as it's touch filled her with heat. It was enough to regain an inch of her strength, her body jolting upwards.

As her body convulsed with chills, her eyes opened wide, taking in her surroundings. The customary white walls, heart monitors and to her surprise, Steve.

"Hey, it's okay. Doll face, look at me," he said with a soothing voice, moving to cup her face and hold it steady.

"Wh-where is h-h-he?" She asked, her teeth shattering violently. She had never been this cold in her entire life.

"Just lie down," Steve insisted, worry sketched deep into his face. "Beth, you need to rest."

"N-ne-need to f-find 'im," Bethany exchanged, trying to fight him but easily losing and being forced back down. Steve moved from his chair to sit on her bed, pulling the blankets tight around her.

"No, you need to get warm. Stay under the blankets," Steve said, before pushing the button for the doctor.

"No, no, no," she responded, shaking her head. "Tony-"

"Beth, stop," Steve tried but her struggling only intensified as she realized the doctors were coming at her with a needle.

"N-no," she cried. "I n-n-need to get T-Ton…" But it was too late. They injected the needle into the IV and she could feel herself falling out of consciousness once again. The feeling in her toes started to disappear, the room becoming a whirlwind.

She fought to keep her eyes open, gaze on Steve's worried filled face, but even that became a blur, his features mixing together until it was painful. As her lashes hit her face, she let the word 'Tony' escape her lips before it all became black again.

* * *

><p>Steve let out a heavy sigh while studying Bethany's face. He hated that he had to get the doctor involved, but it was crucial that she rest for just a little bit longer. He brushed some hair out of her face, touching her cheek lightly to feel how cold she still was. The blue tint that covered her body a couple hours prior was now gone, but the warmth still hadn't returned.<p>

He felt sick to his stomach looking at her, so frail and weak, a concept that seemed so foreign paired with Bethany. When he first got the call from Director Fury that Bethany and Tony were missing, assumed dead, Steve was confused. Bethany couldn't die. Nonetheless, he was worried about her wellbeing and asked to be excused from his mission. When he arrived at the location that once was Tony Stark's mansion, he felt his heart drop. The amount of first responders and reporters were overwhelming. He was all but attacked by a crying Pepper, who he tried to comfort while reporters from all angles attacked them. It was then when it sunk in. Something was _really _wrong.

Steve was there for a whole ten minutes before they found Bethany's body and immediately rushed her into an ambulance. For a spilt second, Steve could do nothing but stand there and watch. Her entire body a sickly pale, blueish colour. Some of her body was broken and there was a deep gash on her face. And the most prominent thing; she wasn't healing.

As the flashes from the photographers' cameras went off, Steve regained his senses and ran to her, jumping into the ambulance despite paramedics objections and hadn't left her side since. They wanted to declare her dead, but Steve refused to let that happen. He called Fury and asked for a SHIELD doctor to meet them at the hospital.

"How is she?" Pepper asked, entering the room.

Steve leaned back in his chair, running his hand through his hair. "She woke for a while. She wanted to know where Tony was. I didn't know what to tell her."

Pepper moved closer to him, opening up her arms as an offer of a hug. When he accepted it, she whispered in his ear "he's alive. He's fine. I have to leave town, but let her know this."

His eyebrows furrowed, but he nodded. "Stay safe."

"You too," Pepper told him with a small smile. "And keep her safe. I never thought I'd see her like that."

"Truthfully," Steve began, sitting back in his chair. "Neither did I."

As Pepper bid him adieu, Steve leaned forward to cup Bethany's face again. It made him uneasy about the future. She was determined to rid herself of the serum and live her life to the fullest, but if she could look like this when she was indestructible, then he feared what could happen and how protective he would be when she was normal.

He continued to thank God for the SHIELD doctor's recommendation that they treat her like she was in critical condition. It proved to be successful as apparently her body just needed a jump start. According to her file, her body didn't hold temperatures like a normal human being's did. It needed to be reminded what warmth was in order to create it. As soon as that began, her heart beat started up again and her injuries slowly started to heal. But her temperature was still low, and it was crucial for her to stay warm.

She started to stir and Steve sat up straight, waiting for her actions. This time, she blinked a couple of times before turning her head to him and giving him a small smile. "Hi," she said softly.

"How're you feeling?" He asked quietly, leaning in to kiss her forehead.

"C-cold," she told him. "Worried. Any ne-news?"

He moved his lips to her cheek and down to her jaw. "He's okay," he whispered into her ear. "He got in contact with Pepper."

When he pulled away, he saw her visibly relax. "Smart. Can't k-kill som-someone who's already de-dead."

"Now can you focus on getting warm?" Steve asked, giving her a small smile.

"I guess," she said, her teeth shattering as she tried to get deeper into the covers. "I-I could us-use some h-help."

Steve chuckled, some hair falling over his eyes. As he pushed it away, he raised an eyebrow. "Answer me one question first."

Bethany nodded, but used what little strength she had to pull the blanket over for him to climb in. Steve sighed, kicking off his shoes before crawling in beside her and pulling her close to him. "Did you know your body doesn't adjust well to extreme weather and temperate conditions?"

She was silent for a couple of seconds before nodding. "Remember that HYDRA spy expedition we went on?" She asked, this time getting the entire sentence out without shivering.

"Yes," he said massaging her back to try and warm it up.

"I-I was so cold t-that night," she explained. "N-nothing but y-you would warm me up. It hap-happened again a couple ye-years later. How-Howard did some t-tests, and that's when we kn-knew."

"But you went in after Tony anyways," he said, pulling on the drawstrings to her hospital gown to get skin on skin contact.

Bethany shivered, the warmth he was giving her making all of her nerves tingle. "That fe-feels amazing."

Steve kissed her forehead before getting out of the bed. "I'm just going to remove some clothing," he explained when she protested. Stripping to just his boxers, he got back into the bed where Bethany had shimmied out of her hospital gown. She pushed her cold body against his warm one and felt a hundred times better.

"I went after Tony b-because he's my nephew and I l-love him," Bethany explained as Steve smoothed out the goose bumps on her skin. "I'd do the same f-for you."

"I know you would," he answered truthfully. "Bethany, you scared me so much."

"I'm al-alright," she said with a small smile, kissing his bare chest, one of her fingers moving to trace the crevices of his body.

"Maybe now, but you were dead Beth," Steve whispered, scared that speaking any louder would only make the statement true again. "For a good couple of hours. Your body wouldn't restart by itself-"

"I'm not a hard drive," Bethany interjected.

"Doll, you're missing my point. They wanted to declare you dead. You weren't healing. If I didn't insist that Fury get a SHIELD doctor here… I don't even want to think about it."

Bethany looked up at him, looking almost as distraught as the day Bucky died. "Hey," she said, moving to kiss him softly. "You don't have to, o-okay?"

"You're so cold," Steve responded, pressing his lips to hers again, pulling her even closer to him.

"When can I leave?" Bethany whispered against his lips. "I'm f-fine."

"Stop trying to act this strong. You're here for a reason. Just let the doctors take care of you. Let _me_ take care of you."

"I have to help Tony," Bethany disagreed. "He needs help."

"If he needs our help, he'll ask for it."

Bethany raised an eyebrow. "Have you _met_ Tony?"

"Just do this one thing. For me? Please, Beth?"

She sighed but responded by kissing him again.

* * *

><p>When Bethany's temperature reached levels that the doctors were comfortable with, she was released, but with strict instructions to stay bundled up and listen to Steve's judgement, as he was the only one to really convince her of anything during her brief stay.<p>

One of the agents that was keeping watch over her hospital room, as the reporters were still trying to get anything they could, got her some clothes, including a huge grey wool sweater that enveloped her.

"Warm?" Steve asked as he helped her put on some Uggs. She still hadn't regained all of her strength, which was more irritating to her than her constant shivering.

"Ge-getting there," She answered, taking a flower from the vase next to her bed. "Who s-sent these?"

"Oh, there's a card…" Steve said, finishing with her boots and taking the card out from his pant pocket. She narrowed her eyes, taking the card from him. "I just wanted to know who was sending my fiancée flowers, okay?"  
>"Jealous?" Bethany teased, opening the card.<p>

"Depends on who Aldrich Killian is," Steve said sitting down next to her on the bed. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head, crumbling the card and tossing it into the waste basket. "He's no one."

"Clearly you're lying."

Bethany leaned so her head rested on his shoulder. "He called before the Mandarin a-attack. He wanted to t-t-talk to me about his company and them being on the brink of developing s-super soldiers."

"I didn't know SHIELD was looking into that," Steve responded, moving to pull her legs over his, cradling her close.

"We're not. But he pointed out the in order to undo s-s-something, it often helps to know how t-to do it."

Steve nodded, thinking hard. "Beth, are you sure that's what you want?"

"Yes," she answered immediately, looking up at him. "Steve, you know that's what I want more than anything."

"After what _just_ happened, though-"

"How many times do we h-have to talk a-about this? W-why can't I s-stop shivering?!" She cried frustrated.

"How about we talk about this later?" Steve suggested. "When you can get a full sentence out without stuttering like me when we first met."

"Y-you weren't t-this bad," Bethany mumbled, hopping off him and bringing the flowers to the garbage and dropping them in. "Let's go."

Steve nodded, but opened the drawer to the table next to her bed. "By the way, this came from SHIELD." Bethany took the white box, opening it to see an arrangement of chocolates. "I might have ate one or two."

"Or five," Bethany said with a smirk, counting the empty spots. The inside of the lid had a bunch of get well messages from some people from SHIELD. "Hmm."

"See how important you are?" Steve asked, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"D-doesn't change a-anything," Bethany responded quietly. "I just hate that you c-can't see it my w-way."

He led her to the back entrance where a SHIELD car was waiting to take them to a hotel. Steve instructed the driver to turn up the heat to the point where the chocolates started to melt and Steve began to glisten. Bethany however spent the ride reading the messages on the box. One from Clint that read 'Wanting to still Steve's thunder, eh?' Natasha's said 'Why wasn't I asked to join in the fun?' The best was Fury's which read 'What's the point on having an indestructible agent if she can die?'

Finally, she closed the box and asked for Steve's phone. "What? Why?"

"'Cause mine is lost somewhere with the rest of Tony's stuff," She explained.

"No, I mean why do you want to use it?"

Nonetheless, he took it out and handed it to her. "Why do you think?"

"You heard the doctor," Steve said with a sigh.

She started swiping on his screen and typing like a mad man. "The doctor said to keep warm."

"And rest," Steve reminded her.

"Well I'm warm and rested," she mumbled. "No more stuttering."

Steve pulled down the shoulder of her sweater and to the tank top underneath. "You're still shivering a little."

She dropped the phone to her lap and turned to face him. "Why don't you understand? Steve, he's my _nephew._ Knowing that he's okay is not enough. Alright? What if it was me? What if it was _Bucky_? I know I'm hitting low right now, but you need to understand."

"At least let me help," Steve said with a sigh.

"Thank you," she responded, grabbing his collar and pulling him closer for a quick kiss.

"I know you aren't going to let this go. And I understand why."

"It's more than just…" She trailed off looking out the tinted window. Steve took her hand and kissed the back of it, waiting patiently for her to gather her words. He stared at the diamonds encircling her finger as she began. "I made a promise. To Maria. To Howard. To Tony. And over the years I've broken it time and time again."

When she turned to face him again, she had tears welling in her eyes, one slipping down her face. He reached out and wiped it away, earning him a small smile. "Care to share?"

"When Tony was eight, he fell from a tree and broke his collarbone. Maria freaked out completely and called me. I met them at the hospital expecting him to be on his death bed, but instead was being spoon fed ice cream. Howard and Maria were outside his room in a full blown out fight. Howard was saying that she had completely overreacted and Maria was upset because Howard _under_reacted.

"That night, Maria pulled me aside and told me all the emotions she went through when Tony called her name in such pain. She cried for about thirty minutes before asking me to always take care of him when she wasn't there. Before I left, Howard pulled me down to his workshop. I assumed he wanted to show me some new weapon designs or something, but instead, he asked me the same thing."

"I thought you said he underreacted."

"He did," Bethany nodded. "Drastically so. But he told me it was because he was in shock. That not showing any emotion and remaining calm was his efforts to keep Maria and Tony calm, but inside he was freaking out as much as she was. He knew that he and Maria wouldn't be there to protect them after they died, and asked me to take over that job. After that, I went to say goodbye to him, but he was already asleep. His hair was all tousled and he had ice cream all over his face and I made a promise to him to always keep him out of harm's way."

She sniffled, wiping away the tears that were falling steadily. "I think Howard would understand that you're doing- that you _did_ the best to your abilities."

"But I haven't," Bethany disagreed sniffing once again. "Again and again over the years, things have happened to him and I haven't been there. Or if I am, I'm helplessly grounded while he's flying up into a wormhole. Do you have any idea what's it like to witness things like that and being helpless?"  
>"Yeah, actually," Steve said squeezing her hand in comfort. "I do."<p>

"Right," she replied, giving him a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry. I get into these rants and I forget who I'm talking to."

"It's okay," Steve assured. "But believe that this time, you did everything you could. You _died_. Okay? And don't forget that Tony forced you away for your own safety. That's what love is, remember? Worrying about someone even when you don't have to?"

Bethany pulled him close once again to kiss him. "Thank you."

* * *

><p>Steve chuckled when he came out of the bathroom to the image of Bethany, sitting on the bed typing away on a SHIELD borrowed laptop. She had pulled the white comforter off the bed and wrapped it around her, making her look like a giant marshmallow.<p>

Drying his wet hair with his towel, he pulled his boxer on and sat next to her, leaning against the headboard, watching the news on the TV. "Find anything yet?"

"Just the message he left on the Stark secure server for Pepper," Bethany announced. "I'm trying to track the call, but since he did it through the secure server, it's impossible. I'm going to start hacking into JARVIS' system and see if I can narrow down what Tony's last flight plan was. What's driving me insane is that I was in the room when he was making it, but I was on the phone with stupid Aldrich Killian-"

"Woah," Steve interrupted, grabbing the remote and unmuting it. Bethany looked up to see the screen in colourful blocks with the Mandarin's logo.

"What does he want now?" Bethany groaned, closing the laptop screen and lying down so her head rested in Steve's lap.

"_Mr. President," _The Mandarin began. "_Only two lessons remain. I intend to finish this before Christmas morning. Meet Thomas Richards_." Bethany reached back to grab Steve's hand, holding it close to her body as the image of a man on the ground in front of the Mandarin, a gun pointed to his head. _"Good strong name, good strong job. Thomas here is an account for the Roxxon oil corporation. But I'm sure he's a really good guy."_

"What is he doing?" Steve said quietly, uneasy at the image in front of him.

"Making a point," Bethany whispered back, grabbing the remote and turning it up a little.

_"I'm going to shoot him in the head, live on your television, in 30 seconds. The number for this telephone is in your cell phone. Exciting isn't it? Imagining how it got there. Amurica," _He said, never pronouncing the nation correctly. _"If your president calls me in the next half-minute, Tom lives."_

"It's a trap," Bethany said, sitting up and unwinding herself from the blankets. "He'll be able to track him. Worse yet, show America that a terrorist is calling the shots."

"But let an innocent man die?" Steve asked.

"It might be hard to adjust to, but one man's life is less valuable than an _entire country_."

"I get that Beth but-" he was cut off by the phone ringing on the screen. Bethany shook her head, and Steve flinched when the Mandarin leaned forward and pulled the trigger.

_"There's just one lesson left, President Ellis so run away, hide, kiss your children goodbye because nothing, not your army, not your red, white and blue attack dog can save you. I'll see you soon."_

"Can they track the signal of the broadcast?" Steve asked when Bethany turned off the TV. The air in the hotel room was strange. Unnerved.

"Yeah," Bethany nodded. "But this guy is smart. So far, all of his broadcasts have been scrambled, and when we've narrowed down an area, it's been too late or they used a separate server to mix us up."

"Technology," Steve muttered, as Bethany climbed off the bed and went for the hotel phone. He picked up the white comforter she discarded and brought it to her, wrapping it around her shoulders.

Before she could pick up the phone, it rang. Bethany's hand hovered over it for a couple of seconds, looking at Steve. "Did you tell anybody we were here?"  
>"Only Fury, but he'd call my cell phone."<p>

She took in a deep breath before putting it on speaker. "Hello?"

_"Bethany. Nice to hear your voice. Those news reports are doubting your abilities."_

"Who is this?" Steve asked, his protective nature over Bethany overwhelming him as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"_Ah yes. Captain America. I would be silly not to think you'd rush to her side. Forgive me, I'm Aldrich Killian of AIM. Did you get my flowers?"_

"Yeah," Bethany said carefully. "Red roses. My favorite."

_"I know_," he responded, sounding confident. _"I was wondering if now would be a better time to talk."_

"Hmm, let me think. I was _just _released from the hospital and my nephew is missing, presumed dead. So I'm going to say no. No, it's not a better time. In fact, you'd be better off contacting my boss at SHIELD if you want to set up a meeting."

_"So you haven't heard from Stark then?"_

Bethany mouthed the words 'get my computer' to Steve who complied. "No, Mr. Killian, I haven't."

_"But you think he's still out there?"_

"They haven't found a body," Bethany answered, opening the computer and using the touch screen to type in 'Aldrich Killian' so that he wouldn't know she was on the computer. "There's no reason for me to give up hope yet."

Steve looked over her shoulder, reading the results. A picture of the man popped up and they were both able to put a face to the name and voice. "Mr. Killian, Bethany's been through a lot the last couple of hours, so excuse me when I say this conversation has to be cut short." And with that Steve hung up.

"That was rude," Bethany said with a smirk. "And also really hot."

"Anything on this guy?"

Bethany huffed, the air sending her long side swept bangs up and then back down onto her face. "Enough that I'm grateful you hung up. I knew AIM sounded familiar. It's the rebranding company for the War Machine."  
>"Iron Patriot," he corrected.<p>

"So not the time." She tapped her lip a couple of seconds, thinking over her options. "Okay, I'm going to break into the Iron Patriot's system and see if I can use _that_ to break into AIM's internal system."

"But why?" Steve asked. "Shouldn't you spend this time trying to find Tony."

"This guy called before the attack and after a televised terrorist announcement. Something is off." Bethany explained. "Plus, if Rhodey has any contact with Tony, I may be able to track his location better. It's worth a shot."

"Now _that's_ hot," Steve countered, it sounded odd coming out of his mouth, but owning it all the same as he laid a kiss on her neck. "Anything I can do?"

"Bring me that box of chocolates?"

* * *

><p>Steve brewed the third pot of coffee that night, pouring Bethany a new cup and watching at the face of disgust she made with every single sip. She wasn't accustomed to the hotel's brand, which was very bland unlike Steve who didn't mind it as it actually tasted better than they stuff they had during the war.<p>

Nonetheless, she continued to sip it as she was on a roll. Steve was impressed on how easily she was able to hack into the government's system. From there she was able to gain access to the Iron Patriot's system. "Any luck?"

"Almost there," Bethany said, but frowned slightly. "Someone else just hacked in."

"Maybe they know what to look for," Steve suggested as they still weren't sure what they to look for when they got into AIM's server.

"Good idea," Bethany nodded, typing in a few commands before leaning back in her chair. "Now we'll see whatever they see."

Steve took in a deep breath, extremely impressed and slightly turned on. "You think it's Tony?"

"I hope so," Bethany muttered, turning the volume up on the laptop as a video popped up.

_"What would you regard as the defining moment of your life?"_ A familiar man's voice asked the buzzed cut haired man on screen.

_"Well, uh, I think that would be the day I decided not to let my injury beat me."_

"What's this?" Steve questioned.

Bethany shrugged as a woman with only one arm came on the screen, stating her name, Ellen Brandt. Then the video changed to Aldrich Killian and Bethany smiled. "Whoever this is, they know _exactly _what we want."

A video labelled 'injection test' started to play with Killian talking about human evolution to a room full of, in his words, 'misfits' and 'cripples'. Then the screen changed once again to a file called 'PROJECT EXTREMIS INJECTIONS TESTS PHASE 01'. Both of them watched soundlessly as the cripples were exposed to the tests, Ellen Brandt glowing a red colour, her arm _regrowing_ from the nub. All the other patients started the same way until one man exploded.

"Holy shit," Bethany let out. "When is a bomb not a bomb."

"Excuse me?" Steve asked, confused.

"The Mandarin attacks," Bethany explained. "No bomb casings. Which makes sense since the bomb is a _person_. He was trying to create super soldiers, but he hit a snag. Instead, the reaction had a negative effect and caused spontaneous combustion. Perfect way for terrorists to get away with their crimes."

"Do we called SHIELD?"

"That would be the sensible thing to do," Bethany agreed. "But if this is Tony, and I believe it is, then he has a plan. And it doesn't involve contacting SHIELD."

"So then what?"

"Well," Bethany said, leaning forward and minimizing the AIM screen. "JARVIS was down the last time I checked, but let me just-Aha! Setting up voice recognition. Downloading the system. Damn it, this would be easier if I had my portable drive," she moaned, thinking back to her birthday present from Tony. "Want to order room service? This may take a while."

* * *

><p><strong>**AN: **

**19irene96: Thanks! I wasn't sure about it, so that means a lot!**

**FeliciaFelicis: Hahaha, not to worry! You didn't offend me at all. I'm watching the movie as I write, and I keep remembering little things as I go along. I forgot how great of a movie it is. My vacation was ****_amazing_****, thank you. I went to Florida, my favorite place in the world, and it was a week and a bit of sunbathing, rollercoasters, baseball games and my favorite thing in the world, FOOD. Oh, and my family. Haha! But I'm glad to be back to writing. I missed it the entire time. **

**Jo: Thanks for your enthusiasm! I love doing this and getting reactions like yours.**

**DJK: I've missed the updates too! It may be because I'm slightly lonerish, but there's nothing I love doing more than updating this. I'm glad you're enjoying it.**

**Carlypso: Thank you!**


	32. Chapter 32

****A/N: This story is now over 400 pages in Microsoft office. I just-wow. Okay? Wow. Thank you _all_ for your continued support. I truly would've left this long ago without all your follows, favorites and most of all, reviews. **

**This chapter is a little on the shorter side just 'cause I actually have no idea what to do next. Good thing I have the next couple days off work to brainstorm. Any ideas, send 'em my way and I'll give you credit and forever will be in your debt! **

Chapter 32

While waiting for the computer to finish uploading JARVIS' database, Steve and Bethany spooned together on the bed eating a plate of spaghetti and a side of fries. The combo was an odd one, but Steve stopped questioning Bethany's food cravings long ago.

"You're nice and warm now," Steve murmured against her skin, laying soft kisses up her neck as she tilted her head.

"Keep doing that," she instructed with a small smile. "Oh god that feels so good."

She snaked her hand back around to hold onto his neck, her fingers playing with his hair. "That's good to know."

"Hmm?" She asked confused, turning slightly, her hand moving down to his bicep.

"It's been four weeks," Steve explained.

"Since we've had sex? No," she laughed, not believing him.

"Yes," Steve insisted. "A whole month. Everytime we try, one of us gets called away. And then lately, you've been…"

"What? Pushing you away?" Bethany asked, brows furrowed. "Have I?"

"Not in an obvious way," Steve told her softly. "Whenever I suggest you coming to bed, you think of something you need to do."

"I'm sorry," Bethany said truthfully, moving in to kiss him deeply. "You know I love you, right? And everything I've been doing lately has been with our future in mind?"

"I know," Steve nodded. "I just miss you."

She said nothing but leaned forward and kissed him deeply. It was a slow passion that continued to build as they blindly moved the food away, lips still connected. They held each other close, arms wrapped around each other as their bodies rubbed together. Bethany let out a small hum, all of her fears gone as Steve took over all of her senses as he usually did. His fingers dancing down her body, drawing circles as he went around. The way one hand was holding to the back of her head, keeping her hair from curtaining in front of her face. His full bottom lip and teeth pulling softly on hers.

As she pushed him on his back and moved to straddle him, she began to pull off her shirt. _"Hello?"_

"JARVIS!" Bethany said excitedly, rolling off Steve and grabbing the laptop from the bedside table.

Steve groaned silently, rubbing his face. He couldn't really complain, since they had been waiting to connect with JARVIS for hours and it was the first step to finding Tony and ultimately getting the Mandarin behind bars. But this was _exactly_ what he was talking about earlier. It had been a month of the exact same thing. He loved her unconditionally, but the biggest reason he enjoyed being intimate with her was not the pleasure alone, but because it was the best way to show Bethany how much she meant to him. If there was a greater way to show her, he would have done it already.

"_Miss. Stark, I'm so glad to hear your popcorn," _JARVIS said.

"Um, excuse me?" Bethany asked, feeling Steve's huge biceps wrap around her body.

_"I'm experiencing some difficulties at the moment and continually say the wrong word at the end of the bikini."_

"Oh. Okay, well J, where are you?" Bethany asked, trying to ignore the feeling of Steve's chest pushing against her back.

_"Currently in Tennessee, Miss. Piggy_."

Steve let out a brief chuckle, his chin resting on Bethany's shoulder. "Can you send me the direct coordinates?"

_"Of course, monkey."_

"I think that was supposed to be ma'am," Bethany felt complied to say quickly as Steve kissed her shoulder.

"Sure, sure," he responded with a smirk.

As JARVIS sent the coordinates to Bethany's computer, she wrote them down on the pad of paper on the nightstand before slipping away from Steve's embrace. "Can you get transportation ready?" Bethany asked Steve. "And then get dressed. We're headed to Tennessee in the next hour."

Steve blew some hair out his face before getting out of the bed and pulling his pants over his boxers. "Can you just take two seconds to breathe and think about what you're doing?"

"I'm going to Tennessee to help Tony," Bethany said pointedly, throwing his t-shirt at his face.

"JARVIS, is Tony in Tennessee?" Steve asked the computer, putting his hands on his hips.

_"No, Captain, I haven't made contact with Mr. Stark for a couple circuits."_

"Hours, J?" Bethany clarified.

_"It is quite annoying isn't it_?"

"Well that's one sentence," Bethany said with a sigh. "But that's the last place he was?"

_"Shall I let you know when I get in contact with him?_ _Mark 42 is in Tennessee and I am being repaired by a little nugget."_

Bethany frowned, but a smile pulled at her lips. "Do you have enough power to give Steve's phone updates when you get in contact with Tony?"

_"Yes."_

"Also, don't tell Tony unless he specifically asks for our help, okay?"

_"Understood, Miss. Sprinkle."_

"Okay, that's enough of _that_," Bethany said closing the laptop.

She sat on the bed, taking the elastic off her wrist and tying her hair into a bun before massaging her temples. "Are we still going to Tennessee?" Steve asked, bouncing his shirt from hand to hand.

"One month, huh?" She questioned randomly before looking up to him.

"Not if your mind will be on Tony and the Mandarin and everything," Steve explained with a straight face. "I need you to admit that for the time being, that there's nothing you can do but wait. That Tony is a genius and if he wanted us to help, he'll reach out. He's covering his tracks for a reason."

Bethany groaned, flopping back on the bed and covering her face. "I know you're right, but it doesn't make this any easier."

"I know," Steve said softly, moving to lie beside her, putting his hand on her stomach. "It's up to you doll."

"Kiss me," she told him, moving her hands away from her face and intertwining her hand with Steve's. "Then I'll make a decision."

"You're so high maintenance," Steve teased before leaning down and kissing her softly. His hair dangled over her forehead, making her giggle. "So?"

"A little more," she flirted, biting her lip gently. "I need more convincing."

"How about like this?" He asked, moving to tug on her bottom lip lightly, raising their intertwined hands over their bodies and leaning into her a little more.

"Getting there," Bethany confirmed, using one arm to pull him flat onto her. She let out a little 'ouf' but only moved to deepen their kiss. As Steve went to pull her shirt over her head, she broke the kiss completely. "No wait. I-I can't. I'm sorry Steve, but I can't just sit here. Lie here," she said after thinking about it.

"Tennessee?" Steve asked, rolling off of her and running a hand through his hair.

"I owe you," Bethany said with a guilty expression.

"No doll face, you don't. Let's just get our stuff and go."

* * *

><p>As soon as they pulled up to the coordinates JARVIS gave to where the Mark 42-which Bethany was shocked considering he was at something like seven during the attack on New York- was, JARVIS sent Steve a text that Tony was heading towards Miami. Unfortunately, five more came afterwards saying the same thing followed by one more declaring that he had been having a hard time getting the messages through and they were meant to be sent hours ago.<p>

"Hey stop," Steve said as Bethany rushed to pull up instructions to the nearest airport. "Let's just go in, okay? Maybe we can find out more than just this," he said lifting up the phone to show her the message.

She made a face, looking out the window and crossing her arms. "I hate it when you're right."

"Or you do, do you?" He said undoing his seatbelt.

"Not really," she mumbled, following his actions. "I just hate when I'm wrong."

As they got out of the rented truck, Steve pulled his shield out from the back seat and Bethany secured the gun she nabbed earlier. "Why are we going in like this again? I don't think Tony would just leave his suit, something he treats like we do Molly, just anywhere." Steve asked holding up his shield.

"Better to be safe than sorry," Bethany said with a shrug.

She slowly pushed the door open, peaking her head in. "If someone attacks, you get behind the shield, you understand me?" Steve whispered. "I'm not takin-"

"Relax, it's just a kid," She said pushing the door open all the way. The kid jumped in his seat, eyes wide open, hand halfway to his mouth with a piece of candy in his hand.

He quickly dropped the candy and pulled up his potato gun. "Put it down son," Steve tried.

Instead, a potato went swishing through the room, Steve blocking it with the shield. "Woah! Captain America!" He jumped off his stool, stumbling slightly. "Two of the Avengers in one week?"

"So Tony _was _here," Bethany said, noting the suit on the workbench.

"You're here _too_?" The kid exclaimed, squinting.

Bethany and Steve shared a look before Bethany took a step forward. "You okay?"

"He told me to keep eating candy until I can't see straight," the kid explained.

"Okay, Tony is never allowed to babysit our kids," Steve said moving towards the suit. "Neither is any of the Avengers. It'll end up a disaster."

Bethany rolled her eyes, but got his point. Tony would feed the kid sugar and let him or her play with weapons. Natasha would teach the child self defence, a good skill to have but would most likely end with being called by the principal. Clint would probably let the kid play ball in the house, ignore bedtimes and watch inappropriate movies. Thor would tell battle stories and would most likely be a great babysitter, except he knew less about technology than Steve and Bethany wouldn't know if trusting him to feed, wash and put her future kids to bed would be the best thing. Theoretically, Bruce would be the best babysitter of them all and while she trusted him with her life, she didn't trust the Hulk. And he came with the package.

"What's your name kid?" Bethany asked.

"Harley," he answered. "What happens if you cut off your toe? Does it regrow like a lizard's? What about you? How did they unfreeze you from the ice?"

Bethany blinked twice before walking around him and taking his previous seat. "Okay, what do we have here? J, can you hear me? How's the rebooting doing?"

_"Coming along slowly, but I'm sure I'll be able to speak properly very vodka."_

"Mind if I mess with this a little, Harley?" Bethany asked as Steve took his spot behind her.

"Nah, go ahead. He's in Miami though. Or heading there."

Bethany nodded, typing in some commands on the computer. "What are you doing?" Steve asked, leaning down slightly.

"Trying to reboot JARVIS system. Since the suit is right here, I can access the mainframe Tony uses. Here, I can reconfigure the statistics and find out exactly why JARVIS' system is-"

"English," Steve begged. "I don't understand half of what you are saying."

Bethany sighed, turning to him. "Basically, with the suit connected to the laptop, I can help JARVIS reboot and be able to speak properly. From what I see, the suit just needs to be charged, but I'm going to see if I can boost the speed."

"Is that necessary at this moment?"

Bethany nodded. "Tony's in Miami. _Without _a suit. Okay? Tony is able to call this suit to him, but until JARVIS is back up and running and the suit has enough power, it won't do shit. I mean shoot," she corrected looking at Harley. "You heard nothing."

"Wait, why is he in Miami?" Bethany asked no one in particular.

_"That's the last known broadcast of the tangerine." _JARVIS answered.

"The Mandarin?" Steve filled in. "He's going up against a terrorist without his armour?"

Bethany's gaze turned to him, worried etched into her face. "'Big man in a suit of armour. Take that off…'"

"Beth, I didn't-"

"I know," Bethany sighed. "It's okay. You didn't know."

"He'll be alright," Harley provided. "He's a mechanic."

"So?" Bethany asked, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"He'll just build something," Harley explained.

Bethany nodded slowly. "Making weapons of mass destruction take time, but it's pretty simple to make something to stun or harm someone enough to get by just by looking around a place like this."

"We should go," Steve suggested. "If he needs back up, we should be there."

Bethany made no move though, continuing to stare at the screen. "J, where's Rhodey?"  
><em>"In Miami, Miss. Stark."<em>

"With Tony or…?"

_"According to my records, Colonel Rhodes and the Iron Patriot suit arrived at the compound an hour prior. I still have no location on where Mr. Stark is until he activates the computer chips embedded in his arm."_

"Hey, two whole sentences and no wrong words!" Bethany celebrated, knowing that JARVIS was just a computer, but still appreciated compliments. "What about Pepper? Any idea where she is? I left her a message about two hours ago and nothing. She always responds right away."

_"No, ma'am. May I suggest looking into the security footage at the compound in Miami?"_

Bethany smiled, "Brilliant idea."

"Not so fast," they heard from the door. All three of them looked up and Bethany groaned. "You don't have better things to do than track me down?"

"Are you or are you not supposed to be on bed rest?" Fury said, stepping into the garage.

"No..?" Bethany tried. "What did you expect me to do, sit back and let him do it by himself?"

"This is not superhero business. The President has asked us to stay out-"

"The President is wrong," Steve interjected.

"Woah," Bethany said leaning back a little to cross her arms smugly. "If the most patriotic man, the Captain of fucking America thinks this, then the President _must _be wrong."

"I'm not saying I disagree. What I am saying is they threaten to shut us down if we got involved. And you and I are well aware there is enough evidence on SHIELD to do that."

"It's more than just SHIELD," Bethany added without missing a beat. "It's family. Suspend me, or discharge me. Whatever you need to do. But I'm not staying out of this. Yeah, SHIELD is my family. It has been for years. But Tony is my blood. And he's the only blood I've got. I'm not stepping back just cause some guy with a political masters and a bad comb over asked me too."

Fury put his hands on his hips, running the options through his head. "Rogers?" He asked.

"Sir, I am grateful for everything SHIELD has done for me these last nine months. But she's right. And like you said, it's not superhero business. But we didn't all just wake up this morning and say 'I'm going to be a superhero today'."

"Realistically, Tony probably did," Bethany spoke, shrugging her shoulders.

"He wants to keep this under control using the United States military?" Steve continued. "Then we are by default involved. I don't remember getting any release papers."

Fury sighed, looking at his feet momentarily before looking up again. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"A ride to Miami," Bethany responded standing up. "And that's all. I won't ask for any more than that."

"Deal," Fury said before turning around.

"Seriously though, doesn't he have something better to do?" Bethany asked before following him out.

* * *

><p>They stood on the edge of the compound, up against the wall, waiting for the perfect moment. A SHIELD jet had dropped them off five minutes prior and Steve was anxiously waiting for Bethany to call their attack. He felt exposed, as he didn't have his Captain America suit with him. While it was just a costume, and he knew he was Captain America with or without it, he felt bare and vulnerable. They didn't have enough time to stop and pick it up as they were stressed for time, and Bethany pointed out that she too wasn't in her suit, but a pair of skinny jeans and a tank top.<p>

"Are we going to engage or not?" Steve asked, growing impatient.

"Relax," she told him quietly. "We don't want to be the cause of chaos."

"Since when?" He asked, as she was once called the 'creator of chaos' on a mission.

She looked up to the sky, watching as pieces of gold and red streamed across the blue and into the building. "_That_, my love, is our cue. Wanna give me a lift?"

As he hoisted her over the wall, listening as she fought off some men, Steve took a running start and pulled himself over the wall, using his shield to render a man unconscious. "Where to?" Steve asked as they crouched against the wall, moving as fast as they could towards the brick building.

"Follow the suit," Bethany answered simply, watching as more pieces flew through the air.

"Beth," Steve said, stopping her and pointing to the air, watching as a blue suit took off.

She said nothing, but kept forward, hunched over as not to be seen until she heard a clanking coming from the stairs near them. Peering her head around the brick, she smiled. The body instantly took recognition of her and Steve as Bethany leaned against the stone wall.

"It's about time," Tony said through the suit.

"Oh, so this is _my _fault now?" Bethany asked, mock hurt.

"Stick to the task at hand," Steve reminded them.

Bethany nodded, Tony answering a call from Rhodey letting the three of them know it wasn't him in the suit. "Main house as fast as you can. Somebody I'd like you to meet."

"What are you even doing here?" He asked as they began towards the main house, Steve throwing his shield once to knock a guy over the wall, then caught with perfect precision.

"What? You think we'd let you have all the fun?" Bethany teased.

"Have you spoken to Pepper?" Tony asked, trying to mask his desperate tone.

"I did," Steve volunteered. "Yesterday. She came to check up on Beth and tell us you were alive."

"I was still unconscious," Bethany threw in. "Why? What's wrong?"  
>"Killian has her," He gritted through his teeth.<p>

"Catch us up. All we know is what you found out when you broke into the AIM database," Bethany demanded, pulling her gun out and playing with it.

"Thought that was you," Tony answered, clearly a smirk on his face. "Basically Aldrich Killian has been trying to perfect Extremis, but he can never solve the exploding problem."

"What does that have to do with the Mandarin?" Steve asked as they met up with Rhodey.

"Oh, you're about to find out," Tony said leaving much to anticipation. "I need to finish charging up this suit, it has no flight power."

"Car cables," Bethany said simply, pointing to a car across from them.

She moved over, opening the hood and proceeding to remove the battery from the car. "Steve, you see that garage over there?" She asked, pointing in the direction. "See if you can find… Never mind, Rhodey, see that garage over there? Can you see if there is any car battery cables?"

"Sure," Rhodey said, giving a polite nod to Steve.

"You wouldn't know what to look for," Bethany explained, feeling Steve's gaze on her. "Keep watch though."

"Oh yeah, like having a red, white and blue shield in broad daylight will help us stay hidden," Tony mumbled.

She turned around, grease on her face and looked at him like he was an idiot. "And a gold and red suit won't? At least they're not looking for Steve."

"Touché," Tony answered as Rhodey came back and handed Bethany the cables. As she connected the battery to the suit, Tony looked at the battery, confused. "What? Am I supposed to just carry this around?"

"Yes," Bethany said plainly, closing the car lid. "How are we getting in?"

"It'll be heavily guarded, especially after my little intrusion earlier," Tony explained. "I'll go in through the front door. You three can wait outside _that_ window and break through it when the time is right all guns a blazing."

"I call breaking through the window," Bethany said as she started walking towards the point of entry. As Steve and Rhodey waited behind her, she tapped her fingers against the wall, silently playing jingle bells. "Oh, you two haven't met have you? Colonel James Rhodes, Captain Steve Rogers."

"Hey man, it's an honor," Rhodey said, holding out his hand.

Steve shook it firmly, giving him a small smile. "I've heard quite a bit about you over the last couple months."

"All good things?" Rhodey asked, looking at Bethany accusingly.

Bethany made a face, turning to face him. "You're basically my two favorite people rolled into one, Rhodes. Yes, all good things. Hell, most of the things I say about Tony are all good things."

"Like 97 percent," Steve agreed. "The other three are endearing complaints. When do we know when to go-?"

He didn't have time to finish though as Bethany jumped through the window, the pieces of glass shattering into little crystals. Rhodey immediately took his place and started shooting the guards in the room. Steve stepped through what once was a window and helped Bethany up, her wincing slightly and looking at a large shard dug deep into her shoulder.

She slowly pulled it out, not making a sound, before whipping it over Tony's shoulder and hitting a man square in the heart. It was then, when the room was quiet except the buzz of the TV that Bethany, Steve and Rhodey took survey of the room.

The TV was on soccer and the Mandarin sat in a chair drinking a beer. Bethany instantly noticed that this man didn't hold the same demeanor as the man who hijacked the television stations. His posture was slouched, his eyes not holding that dark power but a slight tint of fear mixed with shock. Most importantly, when he opened his mouth to say 'what've you come as?' to Tony, he held a British accent.

"You take one move," Rhodey began, holding the gun to him and pushing the chair into a lying position with his foot. "I break your face."

"I never thought people had been hurt," the Mandarin said, still in a British accent. "They lied to me."

"This is the Mandarin?" Rhodey asked Tony clearly sounding unimpressed and slightly annoyed.

"I know it's-it's," Tony started searching for the correct term. "It's embarrassing."

"It's genius," Bethany stated, more impressed than she should be. "A scape goat. Oh, I get it now! Killian was hiding the explosions by blaming it on a terrorist, who is really just… what? An actor?"

"Hi Trevor, Trevor Slatery," he said, offering his hand, only for it to be slapped away by Rhodey. "I know I'm shorter in person, but smaller everyone says that, but hey umm… if you're here to arrest me, there's some people I would like to rule on immedi-"

"Here's how it works Meryl Streep," Tony said interrupting him. "You tell him where Pepper is and he'll stop doing it."

"Doing what?" Trevor asked as Rhodey pressed his gun against his ear, a sizzling sound being made. "Oh ow okay! That hurt. I get it, I get it! I don't know about any Pepper, but I know about the plan."

"Spill," Tony demanded.

"Do you know what they did to my suit?" Rhodey asked, Steve stepping forward a little, Bethany suddenly taking into account how silent the soldier had been during it all, clearly on edge.

"What? No," Trevor answered, still holding his ear. "But I do know it's happening off the coast. Something to do with a big boat. I can take you there. WHOA! OLE OLE OLE OLE!" He cheered as his attention moved to the TV screen.

Bethany covered her face, finding the situation hilarious. "_This_ is the man that has not only all of America but all of the world terrified? Whoever thought of this is a genius."

"Tony, I swear to God, I'm gonna blow his face off," Rhodey said, on his last nerve.

"Oh this next bit may include the vice President as well," Trevor spoke up. "Is that-is that important?"

"Somewhat." Tony said.

"Yeah," Rhodey agreed. "A little bit."

Rhodey and Tony moved closer together and Bethany used this time to gather Steve's attention. "What's on your mind?"

"I know you want to help Tony," Steve began with. "And yeah, I agree that's important. But even if this guy is an actor, we can't just leave him here. He's just as guilty. Drunken fool or not, we both know how powerful an image can be."

"You're not asking me to stay here and play babysitter, are you?" She asked delicately, crossing her arms.

"I'm asking you to be careful," Steve explained.

"You're really going to sit this one out?" Bethany questioned, the notion seemingly off.

"I don't see it that way. Plus, this isn't my battle. It's Tony's. If he needed my help, he'd ask for it. But this is years over my head. I'll just be a liability."

"You sure?" When he nodded, she sighed. "Okay, well you need to call for someone to take him to a prison or something. With regards to this all, I'm not actually sure where he's going. I'd usually call SHIELD but Fury made his standing clear. Homeland security? FBI?"

"I'm on it," Steve responded, taking out his cell phone and moving to the corner.

"You coming?" Tony asked Bethany.

Bethany played with her gun holster, looking over to where her fiancé was on the phone. "Steve is going to stay with Lawrence Olivier. But if you need me, you know I'm here."

"As long as you don't get in my way and keep up," Tony said with a shrug. "Plus, once we get Pepper, you can get her to safety while Rhodey and I kick Killian's ass. Come on, Trevor is going to let us use his speed boat."

"Great," Bethany said with a smile.

"Hey, it's Captain America!" Trevor said, as he noticed Steve's shield. He hopped out of his chair, ignoring Rhodey's gun trailed on him and moved to where Steve had the phone pressed to his ear. "I'm a big fan," he said taking Steve's hand in his and shaking it up and down. "Look! Look! Look at my neck!"

Bethany gapped as Trevor turned around, showing Steve his Captain America shield tattoo. "God I wish this guy wasn't a bad guy. I'd love to have him over for supper."

"Sure Steve would love that," Tony joked.

Bethany turned to him with a smile. "You called him 'Steve'."

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Well, you told me to!" Tony insisted before laughing at how awkward Steve looked. "Let's go. Now."

"You okay?" Bethany asked as they walked by Steve.

"I'll be fine. Stay safe," Steve whispered so that the person on the other line of his phone wouldn't hear.

Bethany nodded, before kissing two of her fingers and pressing it against his cheek. "Nice to meet you Trevor."

"Oh the pleasure is all mine love," Trevor said taking her hand and kissing it.

Bethany chuckled, earning her a weird look from Steve as she walked backwards and disappeared with Tony and Rhodey.

* * *

><p><strong>**AN:**

**FeliciaFelicis: Your reviews are ****_never_**** boring. I appreciate each and every single one of them. **

**Jo: Haha there is no such thing as fangirling too much! At least in my opinion. I once broke out into tears when I was five feet from my favorite baseball player, so I've experienced the many feelings of fangirling. **


	33. Chapter 33

****A/N: Firstly, this chapter took longer than expected. Sorry about that! **

**Secondly, woo! Reached a landmark of over 200 favorites and reviews and getting close to 300 follows. Now if only I was making money for doing this… **

**With my frequent updates and long(ish) chapters, you can imagine the time I put into this, but I literally cannot wait for 11 at night since my day is coming to a close and it means I get to spend the next couple hours writing. I'm a night owl. Hoo, hoo. **

Chapter 33

"Barrel of monkeys!" Tony shouted startling Bethany a little bit. She threw Rhodey a smile, shaking her head. The plan was slowly rolling in motion. The Iron Patriot suit was in the hands of one of Killian's men and on its way to kidnap the President. Pepper was with Killian allegedly on a NORCO traveller's dock, or at least according to Trevor, that's where the plan was happening and Killian dangled Pepper's wellbeing in front of Tony's face before his escape, thus creating this conclusion. While on the speedboat, they deducted that they couldn't save both the President and Pepper, of course something that Tony had internally struggled with. So instead of picking, Tony created the idea to save the President using Mark 42, which could be controlled by Tony on the speedboat while heading towards Pepper.

"If he pulls this off," Bethany mumbled, steering the boat as Rhodey went down to talk to Tony.

"He pulled it off," Rhodey said when he came back. "To a certain degree. He saved everyone, but couldn't get to the President."

"We'll get another opportunity," Bethany promised, giving the wheel to him. "What's he doing now?"

"Who knows," Rhodey said as he rolled his eyes. "How far until we reach NORCO?"

"It'll be after nightfall," Bethany answered, looking out into the water. Killian had done a good job trying to find a secure and far base of operations for whatever his plan was. But nothing spoiled a plan better than a rat.

"She's going to kill you," Bethany said when Tony finally came up from the ship's lower cabin.

"Yeah, well I hope so," Tony shared. "That means she'll get the chance."

"She'll be fine," Bethany assured. "She's been through worse. She _does_ work for you."

Tony sighed, settling down beside her. "How did you do it?"

"With style and grace," Bethany answered automatically before turning serious. "How did I do what, kid?"

"Go seventy years without knowing?"

Bethany ran a hand through her hair. "Not well," she admitted. "There was too many emotions and then none. Fear and love are two very different feelings that coincide way too much."  
>"It's all my fault," Tony sighed, leaning forward.<p>

Bethany shrugged. "Yes it is. But you thought you were doing what was right. The events may have been the same even if you didn't."

"I know. You're right. This Killian guy… he's had it in for me for a long time. Remember the conference in Bern in 1999?"  
>Bethany frowned in concentration. "Remind me?"<p>

"Uh… The year you yelled at me for sleeping around."

Bethany scoffed. That was a reoccurring fight through the years, and Tony knew it. But the harder she thought about it, the faster it came back to her. With the rumours of Y2K pending, the fears of the digital age crashing down and leaving everyone lost, Bethany had been locked up for almost a week trying to make sure that didn't happen.

_"But Nick," Bethany tried as he directed her towards the door. "I'm not done-"_

_ "You've done as much as you can," Fury assured her. "Listen, there's nothing more we can do but wait. And if the systems crash, you can come in tomorrow and fix it. Until then, you need to get out of here. Have some fun. Celebrate the New Year."_

_ "'Celebrate'?" Bethany asked, the word seemingly foreign. "This is crazy Nick, just let me-"_

_ "NO." Fury said strongly. "You're always working during holidays."_

_ "There's a reason for that," Bethany answered, shoving her hands in her back pockets. _

_ Fury sighed, his hard face softening slightly. "I know you've gone through some tough times. But you need to move past all that. Your nephew is in Switzerland at a science conference. Why don't you go spend the last of the year with him?"_

_ "He's young, rich and not bad to look at," Bethany pointed out. "He wouldn't welcome me anyways. But fine. I'll go back to my apartment and… I don't know, watch a movie or something."_

_ Fury nodded. "Happy New Year, Stark."_

_ "Happy New Year, Director," She bid before leaving. She dragged herself back to her apartment, grumbling and sulking as she passed happy couples wearing celebratory paper hats and glasses, some with colourful beads, almost all the girls in layers of sparkles. Bethany didn't understand it. Why was New Year's such a big deal? It was just a big reminder that people were getting older, time escaping them. It was a holiday to celebrate not only oneself getting older, but the world. _

_ Bethany didn't bother to turn on the lights to her dim apartment as she strode to her bedroom and flopped on the bed. "I'm not crazy, am I?" She asked, turning her gaze to the framed picture of a skinny Steve on her bedside table. She picked it up and delicately touched his face. "For not wanting to celebrate something as simple as a year changing?"  
>His stature face, poised and concentrated like always, said nothing back, but she knew she was wrong. "You know I can't. Go out there and pretend like everything is okay. It's just not possible."<em>

_ Bethany sat in silence for a couple of minutes, looking at the many pictures of Steve decorating the room. Each said something different, but the message was clear: she had to get out of there. "This is all I have," Bethany whispered to the frame. _

_ She put the picture down, taking in a deep breath. "I hate the holidays," she mumbled to herself before getting up and packing her bag. She wouldn't reach Switzerland until the next morning, but sitting in her dark room surrounded by memories, she needed to be somewhere real and in the now and the only person who could provide her that with was Tony. _

_ It hurt to think she had nothing, and that she made it that way on purpose. It was so easy for her to leave, to pack a small bag and just go and never look back. She only had Tony and a few work relationships, but known of them knew the things about her that family and friends should and would. Her happiness was nothing but memories, some that were beautiful in theory but thinking back to it, painful. Fury was right. She knew he was right. But it was hard to change. It was hard to do anything during the holidays. _

_ But she had gone to see Tony, bringing with her only a change of clothes, a toothbrush and the framed picture of skinny Steve. She couldn't bring herself to leave it-to leave _him_. Bethany waited in the lobby of Tony's hotel, waiting for him to check out. She had to give the receptionist fifty dollars to convince her she wasn't a homeless person, although she would understand his thinking since all she had was a grey tote and was wearing jeans and a grey pull over. _

_ "I know I drank a lot last night," Tony's voice came from behind her. "But did I take a plane back to the States?"_

_ "Just needed to see a familiar face," Bethany explained tiredly as Tony flopped into the chair across from her. "Have fun last night?"_

_ "I'm wearing the same clothes as last night, so you tell me," He said with a smirk. _

_ "Did you at least leave her your number?" Bethany asked._

_ He shook his head. "Nope. Not my type."_

_ "No, just someone to sleep with," she mumbled, rubbing her eyes. Exhaustion had already set in, but her brief nap on the plane ride over had been filled with her, Howard and a baby Tony at Christmas, Bethany continually saying that Steve was on his way, but he never came. _

_ "Excuse me, are you judging me?" Tony asked, taking off his sunglasses, which really weren't needed inside, and leaning forward. _

_ "You waste away your heart like you do your money," Bethany explained. "Don't you want to settle down? Or at least get to know someone beyond a one night stand?"_

_ "Look who's talking," Tony pointed out. "You're what? Eighty years old? Don't you think it's time_ you_ settled down? Or at least get off my back about it."_

_ "I guess I just lost hope for myself," Bethany admitted. "I mean, it's a New Year. It's supposed to promise change, but for me it's just another year of the same thing."_

_ "Don't blame the world without blaming yourself first," Tony told her. "I think you put a half ass attempt on actually living your life and when it goes just a fraction of an inch wrong, you give up."_

_ "I do blame myself," Bethany said before letting out a yawn. "I know this is my fault."_

_ "C'mon," Tony said standing up. "Let's go get breakfast and then you can have a nap. You clearly need one. I'm buying, so wherever you want."_

_ "Somewhere that serves alcohol," Bethany answered, pulling herself out of the chair. _

_ "You can't get drunk," Tony reminded her. _

_ "I'm hoping that someday a bartender will pour something stronger than me."_

"Bethany?" Tony asked, snapping her back to reality. "Bern? 1999? Ringing any bells?"

"Yeah, sorry," Bethany said with a small smile.

"Anyways, he was there. He wanted help getting AIM off the ground or something. And the girl I spent the night with is the girl who came up with Extremis. I stood him up so he would've come after me either way. Plus, he tried to convince Pep to team Stark Industries up with AIM."

"It's personal," Bethany finished with a nod. "He approached me too."

"What he say?" Tony asked, switching his position a little.

"He said he was close to perfecting a super solider formula and wanted my help. He pointed out that in order to undo the effects of the serum in my body, we need to understand it and to do _that_-"

"Recreate it," Tony finished. "He knows all of our weaknesses."

"It's not hard for anyone to guess what they are," Bethany said with a chuckle. "We've come a long way since that day kid."

"Yeah, we have." Tony agreed. "You know, as much as I rag on him, Steve makes you happy. _Really_ happy. I know that. I see it. I'm sorry I haven't been more supportive. And also… I know that this Christmas meant something important to you. I'm sorry you're here cleaning up my mess."

"There's nothing to be sorry for. We're family," Bethany corrected. "And Christmas isn't until tomorrow."

"You know what I mean," Tony said with a sigh. "This wasn't just another Christmas. Steve was away for Halloween, you for Thanksgiving. This is a major holiday and you two made plans."

"Just like you and Pepper made plans," Bethany answered. "Shit happens. But you know that I'll always be here to help clean up your mess, right?"

"And now I need you more than ever," Tony admitted. "I need to get her."

"I know," Bethany said, laying a comforting hand on his. "We'll get her back. And tomorrow, we'll all have Christmas dinner together."

"I thought you didn't want traditional," Tony reminded.

"I wasn't ready to do a Christmas tree, mistletoe, carols and cookies. But a family dinner? It's been a really long time since I've got that."

"Me and Flag Face? Family?" He asked, scrunching his nose.

Bethany hit his chest, feeling the skin of her knuckles breaking as it hit his arc reactor. "You said you would stop."

"I had one more left."

* * *

><p>The three of them crept around, trying to stay hidden, getting help from the fall of night. Usually, Bethany would led the party, but she was getting really used to shadowing Steve's steps that she naturally fell behind Rhodey.<p>

They stopped and peered around a corner, Bethany holding back a groan. "See, _that's_ why I don't want a traditional Christmas," she said, her gun pointed to where the Iron Patriot suit was hoisted high in the air, looking like a star on top of a Christmas tree, colourful lights strung around an oil tank creating the illusion of an evergreen tree.

"He's strung up over the oil tank," Rhodey explained to Tony who was keeping guard. "They're gonna light him up, man."

"Viking funeral. Public execution," Tony answered.

"Yeah, death by oil," Rhodey finished.

"Ironic," Bethany put her two cents in. "Ellis made sure NORCO didn't have to spend a day in court after the oil spill. He made sure the company avoided its death and now its his."

"What now?" Rhodey asked, looking to Bethany.

"Burning to death is the most painful," she told them. "So our first goal should be getting the President."

"How about we spilt up?" Tony suggested. "Cover more ground."

"You two stay together," Bethany instructed. "Go up. Try and get the President. I'll go looking for Killian and Pepper. Oh and don't get killed."

The two men nodded before they ran across the open space. Bethany pulled her gun close to her before taking in a deep breath and running backwards, looking for the stairs she saw earlier. Quickly climbing while simultaneously staying low, she tried to ignore the loud hammering of bullets on metal. _He can take care of himself_, she reassured herself. Bethany didn't completely believe this, but she didn't get the chance to turn around and help as when she opened a door, Aldrich Killian looked up from a series of monitors with a smile on his face.

"Well, well, well," He said, quickly pulling a gun from his belt and holding it up as Bethany held hers up to him. "Look who finally decided to return my call. I wasn't expecting your presence, although it certainly doesn't hurt. Not with a pretty face like yours."

"Cut the crap," Bethany snapped.

"Someone's in a bad mood," he said, his head cocking to the side a little.

"Well it could just be me, but drowning and suffering from hypothermia is not a trip to Disney World."

He laughed, his eyes twinkling. "I didn't mean for you to get caught up in that mess."

"No, just my nephew," Bethany scoffed. She cocked her gun but just as soon heard a gun cocking from behind her.

"Put down the gun," a man's voice rang into her ear.

Killian smiled, "You're not going to win. Not this time. Put the gun down."

"You know what'll happen if he pulls the trigger," Bethany said with a smirk and a small raise of her eyebrow.

Killian nodded, seemingly thinking over his options but answering with ease. "You'll fall unconscious for a couple of hours, is that correct? Put the gun down, Miss. Stark."

Bethany's jaw set, but she leaned down slowly to do as he asked. "What do you want?"  
>"Now that," he said, pointing to her with his free hand. "That I told you from the start."<p>

"You told me you were close to finishing a super soldier serum," Bethany reminded him. "You meant Extremis, didn't you?"

"It's more advanced than the one in the forties, wouldn't you say?"

Bethany couldn't disagree with that. After seeing the footage and getting some background information from Tony, if Extremis was perfected, soldiers would be, in that very sense, super. More so than that. They'd be indestructible. Like… like her.

"Maybe the one that was used on the Captain, yes," Bethany said, politely folding her hands together and standing with her back stick straight. "But you'd have to agree; the serum running through my system is beneficial. No random explosions, the ability to regenerate from anything. The ability to _heal_. Because that was the intention for Extremis, was it not?"

Killian chuckled. "You are intuitive."

"Tell me something I don't know," Bethany responded. "Like, maybe where Pepper is."

He said nothing but nodded to the man behind her. His hand wrapped around Bethany's neck, a burning sensation rippling through her body. She clutched her teeth together hard, trying not to show pain, but the white hot pain followed by the unsettling smell of burning flesh overtook her senses.

She wanted to inch towards her gun, just resting by her feet, but fully loaded. Use her combat skills. Knock them all out, save the day. But Killian's gun still aimed at her head and his man's burning hand wrapped around her neck, she knew they didn't want her unconscious, but wouldn't hesitate. And she couldn't be helpless again.

So she endured the pain. She bit on her tongue, long and hard, tasting the iron flavored blood decorating her mouth. A sharp gasp slipped through her lips, followed by a single tear trickling down her face. Bethany tried to keep her eyes on Killian, attempting to show her strength, but failed and as soon as her lids closed, her eyelashes shadowing her face, bursts of white and red filled her vision.

"Had enough?" Killian asked with a sadistic tone.

The grip on her neck loosened and she could feel her skin stitching itself back together. The vain side of her, the one that always had something to say about her appearance, no matter the circumstances, was extremely grateful that she put her hair up into a bun while on the speedboat. There was no doubt that the burning hand would've singed the blond locks completely.

"Although, I must admit. It _is_ amazing what they did, even back then," Killian said, leaning close to look at her healing skin.

Bethany opened her mouth, hell bent on spitting the blood that collected on her tongue but loud banging, followed by sounds of explosions filled the room. "What is that?" Killian asked, looking upwards before the room shook and one wall exploded open, dazzling reds and oranges attacking them.

They were all thrown aside, Bethany able to pick up her gun and the one from the man that was standing behind her. On shaky legs, she stood up and pointed one gun at each of the men's heads. "I believe my nephew is exacting revenge from the shit load of damage you-"

She didn't have time to finish as she felt the unknown man grab her legs, pulling her down. Bethany groaned, more out of annoyance than anything else. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close, his glowing red and orange skin burning deep into her pale one. This time, she let herself give into the pain, crying out, loud and clear, hoping that maybe-just maybe, someone would help her.

Her silent prayers were answered as a blue and green Iron Man suit pulled the man off of her and threw it out the window. _"Need a lift, Miss. Stark?" _JARVIS' tone rang clear. Bethany looked around the room, Killian seemingly missing.

Bethany took the suit's offered hand and was pulled to her feet. "Where's Tony?"

She wrapped her arms around the suit's neck, it walking to the open space in the wall and soaring into the sky. "_Currently finding Miss. Potts."_

Bethany held on tight and looked around at the spectacle around her. The small, but impressive army of Extremis volunteers were going head to head with Tony's equally impressive army of suits. "Damn, that kid had a lot of spare time. J, drop me off near Rhodey."

The suit did as it was told and she broke into a run, catching up with the soldier. "Plan?"

"I need a suit," Rhodey said, jumping over some debris in the way. "And Tony's are all coded for him only."

"Selfish bastard," Bethany joked, but meaning it a little.

They continued down the path, stopping at the end, Rhodey calling out to the President still trapped inside the Iron Patriot suit, strung up high. "Just hold on alright? I'm coming."

Bethany looked around them and sighed. "I'll hold off as many as I can," she told him. "You just get the suit."

Rhodey nodded, telling the President to hold on two more times before he moved into action. Bethany, who still had the two guns from earlier, pointed them at two incoming Extremis warriors. With perfect precision, she pulled the triggers, the bullets soaring out and lodging themselves deep into the attackers' bodies. But, just as she assumed, their bodies swallowed the bullets and they kept coming forward. "Okay, new plan."

She dodged one, two, three blows to her, falling to the ground with grace to swipe their bodies down on the ramps. They fell, their hot skin sizzling against the metal ramp. Bethany smiled, waving to them before sliding off the side of the ramp, the world around her becoming a blur, but Bethany aiming the guns where the two bodies were still lying down. The bullets may not have had any effect on their bodies, but they did on the hot metal and with four shots, the ramp gave out and they two were falling.

She braced herself, ready to hit the ground and heal all of her breaking bones, but one of the suits caught her and she laughed. "Perfect timing."

_"Where to?"_

Bethany watched as Rhodey and the President shot into the sky, clearly on their way to safety. She looked around the compound, but with miniature explosions coming from every direction, she couldn't see Tony anywhere.

"Just there," Bethany said, pointing to a ramp that was relatively calm. As they landed, Bethany held onto one of the suit's arms. "Think you can give me a hand?"

Understand her meaning, the suit detached one of the hands, Bethany pulling to away with a smile. It shot back up into the sky, ready to fight the next Extremis heat signature body. Bethany looked at the arm for a second before slipping it on. It was a little big—okay a lot big—but after studying it closely, realised it had some power in it alone. Not a lot, but enough.

She could hear the metal rattling, a telltale sign that someone was running up it with intentions to attack and she quickly turned and used the repulsor on a female with long red hair. She was flung backwards, hitting the ground before Bethany pointed the repulsor to the metal grate, it instantly melting and sending the fiery woman downwards.

"One down," She said looking around. That's when she saw Tony fighting Killian. His suit had just wrapped itself around the inventor and was ready for battle. Bethany's gaze followed up the grate she was on, looking for a way to get to her nephew. "Shit," she mumbled, seeing a maze of platforms and not knowing how to get to where she wanted to be.

Taking a chance, she started up a random pathway, keeping her view on the fight. Tony ejected himself from the suit before Killian's fist met with his body, sliding off one of the ramps and down. She held her breath, stopping momentarily, watching as another suit came to his rescue.

Her sudden stop only came to her disadvantage as she felt two warm arms grab her sides and throw her off the ramp. She quickly took hold of the side of the metal ramp, but her attacker only leaned forward and with a merciless smile, pressed his fingers against hers.

Bethany's small and dainty fingers began to burn, turning a sickly colour of black. But much to her attacker's dismay, she did not let go. "You think you owe him something?" Bethany got out. "Because he _fixed _you? Take it from someone who knows. This isn't a better life."

"You don't know what it's like to be a cripple," The man said, squinting slightly as if to scrutinize her.

"But I know what it's like to be invincible," Bethany answered, taking in a deep breath. She could feel the edges of her fingers healing, but where his fingers were resting on hers, continuation of a painful burn.

"You don't know the hate and disgust," he shared, sneering.

Bethany's eyebrows loosened from the deep frown that had formed. These people, the people who had Extremis running through their bodies, they weren't _bad _people, but people who had bad things happen to them. _Good becomes great. Bad becomes worse._

The people themselves weren't bad, but the subjection they experienced turned them to hate the world. They weren't like Steve who experienced it throughout their lives and despite it, learned to be good. They were more like Loki, someone who had everything that meant something taken away from them. Power, control and ability and blamed the world for it. As soon as the power returned, their desire increased tenfold to get even because now _they could._

"There's no salvation this way," Bethany tried again. She didn't know why she was trying to find the good in this man, but she could see a glimmer of herself in his hate filled eyes. A mirror to what she was. Almost a perfect reflection to her eyes after shattering the glass of the mirror months ago, just before Steve woke up. So much had changed since then, since she got her own piece of salvation. Since she reclaimed what was left of her innocence.

"I get it. I do," She sighed. "I know what it's like to be looked at like a monster, especially from people you love. But innocence is yours."

The man's jaw set and he let go of Bethany's hands in a sign of understanding her side, but the gesture was lost as her fingers were too damaged and burnt to keep any hold onto the metal. She didn't scream as she fell downwards into a fiery pit of doom.

Her mind became quiet despite the loud pounding of explosions and the crackling of the fire. Life and death was so easy for her, but at that moment, she was scared. Would the fire kill her first, or the ground? Would she even feel her skin blistering off her bones, her whole self becoming ash? Or would be it gone in a quick second?

Bethany closed her eyes, expecting the ground to be the answer as the flames already enveloped her, but was shocked when she felt something cradling her, pulling her out of the flames. She couldn't open her eyes, the fire too powerful, too bright and the smoke too thick. She didn't scream as she felt the fire trickle over her, feeling some of her tank top and jeans becoming a distant memory. It was only when she was dropped to the floor, being kicked to roll around to distinguish the flames that she saw her savour. Pepper.

Bethany blinked a couple times, one not believing the facts about the situation and two seeing her body glow a red and orange tint, much like the other people exposed to Extremis. She swallowed hard, wincing when she tried to get up.

"Heal," Pepper ordered. "I'm going to save Tony. And then kick his ass."

Bethany opened her mouth to argue, but the woman already disappeared around the flames. She covered her head with her hands, full of blisters and sores and took in a couple deep breaths before surveying her body. All things considered, the burns weren't actually that bad and were healing as quick as could be expected. The real problem was the fact that her jeans and tank top were almost completely burned away, showing large portions of her stomach and legs.

She sighed before gathering the strength to stand up. Biting her lip, she fought back the pain, closing her eyes. Her skin was cracked and dry, in desperate need of water. Her mouth was watering and her eyes still burned a little from the smoke. _Tony_, she reminded herself, building the encouragement to push forward.

Following where Pepper was, she got there in time to see the woman completely eradicate Killian. She crossed her arms, only vaguely aware of the pain, impressed beyond words.

"Honey," Tony offered, stern, almost like testing a child.

"Oh my god," Pepper said, her body cooling down and looking as if she was terrified of even herself. "That was really violent."

"Fuck yes, Pepper," Bethany cheered, limping over.

"You just scared the devil out of me," Tony told Pepper. "I thought you were-"

"I was dead," Pepper finished. "Why? 'Cause I fell two hundred feet? Who's the hot mess now?"

Bethany smirked, knowing full well it was still Tony. In that relationship, it would always be Tony just like it would always be her over Steve.

"Still debatable," Tony answered, agreeing with Bethany's thoughts. He reached down to pick up what Bethany noticed was an ear piece. "Tipping your way a little bit. Why don't you dress that way at home? Sport bra, the whole deal."

Bethany rolled her eyes, collapsing to the ground, too tired to stand anymore. The majority of her wounds had closed up, but there was still a sensitive feeling as her muscles stretched.

"You know, I think I understand why you don't want to give up the suits," Pepper said. "What am I going to complain about now?"

"Well it's me," Tony answered standing up. "You'll think of something."

As Pepper exchanged her worries, Tony extinguished them. He said, in Bethany's opinion, all the right things, but she was too out of it to really pay attention. But she did hear that he was certain he could undo Extremis, or at least stable it. And in that moment, Bethany was glad. Not for herself. She didn't care about her life right then and there. It was a completely different battle field. She was glad that Pepper, sweet and kind Pepper would be able to get hers.

"That's what I do, I fix stuff," Tony added. "That's what Starks do."

"Hell yeah," Bethany said, touching her hair and bun, praying that it was still healthy. "We'll pull up all the stops."

In reality, it wouldn't be that hard considering all the AIM files were easy to access. Once they were able to see what went wrong, they'd be able to fix it. It was easier than starting from scratch.

"And your distractions?" Pepper asked, worried about Tony's spare time.

"I'm gonna shave them down a little bit. JARVIS? You know what to do."

He had a quick conversation with the AI, telling him 'yes' twice before pulling Pepper into a hug. "Merry Christmas," he told her as all his suits became a firework display.

Bethany couldn't help but smile, watching all his hard work become nothing but a distant memory. She slowly pushed herself off the ground, wavering slightly, watching as the couple continued to hug. Pepper looked to be in near tears.

"Hi beautiful," a voice breathed from behind her.

Bethany turned around and sighed, a smiled stretching across her face. "Steve."

He pulled her into a tight hug, picking her up slightly, then her feet resting on his to give her a little bit of height. "Took us a while to find this place, but about ten minutes ago, everything lit up like a flare. Sorry I missed out."

"S'okay," she said, unable to wipe the smile off her face. "You were doing what you thought was right… And you _were_ right. You would've been a liability. I would've spent the entire time worrying about you on top of everything else."

"That's how I feel every day," Steve revealed before kissing her softly.

"Merry Christmas, baby," Bethany sang lightly. "Sorry it was almost ruined."

"No, it's perfect," Steve insisted. "Maybe not typical, but when it comes to us, is anything?"

Bethany laughed, kissing him again. "I have a lot to catch you up on."

"So do I," Steve nodded. "See what happens when we're apart for only a couple of hours?"

"Hopefully that won't happen for a long while," she agreed with another kiss. "By the way, who's 'us'? You said 'took us a while'."

"FBI," Steve answered, releasing her from his grip but taking her hand in his. She stepped off his toes, losing that half inch of height. "Although, I did call Fury. I figured despite orders, SHIELD would be here to collect some samples?"

"Without a doubt," Bethany nodded, "I want to go over this. Study it. Not necessarily use it or stable it, but… but I need to know. Tony and I… it's a long story."

Steve smiled. "I know, I know. But… after the holidays?"

While she led him over to Tony and Pepper, Steve slipped the wind breaker the FBI had given him off and onto Bethany, not liking the amount of skin showing in public. Tony was comforting Pepper as much as he could, but she still crying. "Of course. Hey, we just wanted to check up on you before we left."

"Thank you," Pepper said truthfully. "Both of you. For everything."

"We didn't do much," Bethany answered with a small smile. "Are you guys staying in Florida?"

Tony nodded. "I think it'll be safer this way."

Bethany turned to Steve. "Are you okay with changing our California plans to Florida ones? We'll still have the beach and Disney."

"Of course," Steve answered.

Bethany smiled to him, squeezing his hand. "Then let us know if you need anything. And I mean anything."

"Go, get out of here," Tony said with a small smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Enjoy your Christmas."

"Merry Christmas," Bethany told them, Steve echoing her. She leaned down to kiss Pepper and Tony's cheeks, Tony offering a handshake to Steve before they moved to one of the air crafts.

"Where to Captain?" The pilot asked as Bethany and Steve settled in.

Steve looked at Bethany, who answered with confidence. "The Grand Floridian Hotel. We'll have to go shopping for toilette trees and clothes," Bethany said to Steve. "Although, everything will be closed… Hmm. I guess we spend the day in our hotel room? Order room service, watch some movies?"

"Sounds perfect," Steve told her quickly, leaning down to whisper in her ear. "Truthfully, that's all I want this Christmas. You, me and a bed."

Bethany giggled, shoving him with her shoulder before crossing her legs. "Actually, you'll have to get all that out of your system before tonight. If Pepper and Tony are here, I want to eat dinner with them. And Tony will want to start on getting Extremis out of Pepper-"

"Wait, what?" Steve asked, alarmed.

Bethany just shook her head and took his hand. "I told you that you missed a lot."

* * *

><p><strong>**AN: I'm thinking one more chapter and then the wedding? Yes? Yes. That's what I think. **

**FeliciaFelicis: Oh yes, those moments of inappropriate laughter. It's one of Bethany's traits that are one of my own. People falling, especially little kids gets me the worst. And I hope your thinking that he reviews are boring **_**do**_** change. Even when I get a simple review I get a smile on my face, but yours keep it there for the entire day. **

**And…. SNIPPET SNIPPET SNIPPET.**

**Kadienewberg: That's okay, I completely understand! I feel like if I don't get all my ideas out ASAP, they'll disappear and I have so many ideas for Bethany and Steve that I'm pushing myself to get them all out. Plus, as an avid fanfiction reader, it bothers me when a fanfic isn't updating in months. I just NEED to know things.**

**Jo: Yes, Trevor… Trevor is probably one of my favorite Marvel characters of all time. Definitely in the top five. Man, I wish that guy got more screen time.**


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Tony and Pepper had followed Steve and Bethany to the Grand Floridian, yet in their separate transports. Bethany was able to catch Steve up on everything he had missed, including Pepper's exposure to Extremis. Steve had kept a calm composure, like he usually did when she talked about work stories and waited patiently for his turn to share. Trevor was in custody, along with a lot of the props and computers found on the compound.

As the four of them strolled into the hotel, Bethany knew they were a sight. All of them, Steve included, looked a mess. Pepper was now sporting Tony's sweater over her sports bra, but it didn't take away from the ash on her skin and her wild hair. Tony's face was covered in dry blood, his white tank top also sporting red spots. Bethany tried to cover up her bare spots with the wind breaker Steve gave her, but it was proving impossible. That wasn't everything though as she also had ash and blood marks on her healed skin. Steve's hair was a mess, sticking up in some places and some falling in his view and refusing to be pushed back into its customary wave.

"Can I help you?" The man at the front desk asked with a smile but a hint of skepticism.

"Yeah, we need two rooms," Tony said with a tired flare. "Something with a view, or even just a bed. Whatever, I'm too tired for specifics."

"Of course," the man said with a nod. "Just give me a moment."

"Relax," Bethany whispered to Pepper. "Okay? You'll be fine. But I think we can both agree what everyone needs is a good night of sleep before we even begin to think of how to stabilize this."

"I know, I know," Pepper answered with a sigh. "I agree."

"Okay," the man began with a false smile. "We only have a few rooms left, but most of them cater to families of four. We do have a room with a King sized bed and then our honeymoon suite."

"Yeah fine, whatever," Tony said with a wave.

"Honeymoon suite?" Bethany asked with a crinkle of her nose. "Isn't that a little premature?"

"And expensive?" Steve finished, knowing first hand from looking at honeymoon destinations.

"Merry Christmas you two," Tony answered, taking the room keys. "Although, I don't have my credit card with me…" Steve sighed before pulling out his wallet and handing the man his credit card. "Thanks buddy. I'll pay you back."

"Is there any way we can go into a gift store and get some clothes?" Bethany questioned, looking down at her outfit.

The man took in their appearance before picking up the hotel phone and calling the manager. While they were waiting, Pepper and Tony slipped away for some coffee while Steve and Bethany stood in a corner, her resting her head against his shoulder.

"What's on your mind?" Steve asked, brushing some hair out of her face.

She was quiet for a couple of seconds before looking up at him. "Next Christmas we have a tree. Lights and garland. And mistletoe. Lots and lots of mistletoe."

A smile tugged at his lips. "Sounds fantastic."

She couldn't help but laugh as he tried to push his hair back into its wave. "You need a haircut."

"I know," he said with a sigh. "It's not very modern anyways, is it?"

Bethany shrugged. "Business men do their hair like that. A lot of men do actually. But if you want to try something new, go for it. I mean, it's just hair. It'll grow back. Personally, I think you'd look handsome bald."

"Captain Rogers? Agent Stark?" A man's voice said, catching their attention. "Sorry to interrupt. I'm Gabriel Thorns, the manager."

"Yes, hi," Bethany responded with a small smile. "We were wondering if there was any way we could stop in the gift shop. I know it's Christmas and the middle of the night-"

"No, no. Anything you need, we'll provide it to you," the manager assured. "Anything for American heroes. I understand there are more members to your party?"

"My nephew and his girlfriend," Bethany nodded. "Thank you so much."

"Not at all," the manager answered with a smile. "Let's go rally up the others and you can begin your stay."

Thorns led the way, Bethany and Steve intertwining their hands and staying close. They were both bordering on exhaustion, but caffeine did little as their metabolism burned it off. "This is like New York all over again," Bethany mumbled.

"How so?" Steve asked, moving their intertwined hands up to his lips and kissing her hand.

"I want to sleep, but I want a bath too," Bethany explained. "Amongst other things."

Steve could feel a small blush cover his face, thinking about what that might entail. Tony and Pepper noticed them walking towards the coffee and met them in the middle. "Everyone here?" Thorns asked with that same happy tone. When Steve nodded, Bethany too busy yawning, Thorns led them to one of the stores.

"Take your time," Thorns told them. "I'll see you four at the checkout counter."

As he disappeared, Bethany and Pepper drifted to one area while the men drifted to another. They sifted through the racks, Bethany pulling random things off of them. A large shirt to wear to bed, a dress for the next day, a bathing suit to use as a bra and underwear and a pair of flip flops. Pepper was spending more time choosing her clothes so Bethany wandering around the shop.

She somehow ended up looking at kids' clothes, more specifically, baby clothes. Bethany's lips pulled up into a little smile as she picked up a baby onesie, the words 'Baby's First Christmas' on it, a picture of a baby Mickey Mouse with a rattle underneath it. She couldn't help but marvel at how small it was. Keeping it in her grasps, she picked up the little baby booties, both of them easily fitting in one of her hands.

"Something you're not telling me?" Steve asked with a chuckle, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"They're so small," she whispered.

"Babies tend to be small," Steve answered, kissing her cheek, noticing that it was wet. "Hey, what's with these tears?"  
>"I'm just thinking," Bethany explained, swallowing the lump in her throat.<p>

"About…" Steve started, his back straightening a little. "About our baby?" He didn't need to wait for an answer as it was clear. She seemed to lean back into him, her legs almost giving out in memory. "Beth-"

"No, Steve. Don't try to make me feel better," she said with a small sob. "You should be yelling at me, telling me what a monster I am-"

He shushed her, pulling her closer. Steve desperately wanted to comfort her, but everytime the conversation was brought up, he couldn't find the words. Because nothing he could say would make her feel better and be true. He settled with "You're not the same person as you were then."

"It doesn't change anything Steve," Bethany mumbled.

"No, you're right," Steve answered. "But what's done is done. You can't go back, but I know if you could, you'd change everything. I also know you spent seventy years wallowing in this guilt. You've changed."

Bethany turned around in his arms, burying her face into his body. "Just say it. I need to hear it Steve. I need to hear how you really feel."

Steve sighed, pulling back a little to look at her face. "Are you sure?" She nodded, her arms meekly wrapping around his waist, hands still holding the baby clothes. "Okay. Bethany you know what you did broke my heart. It was something I'll never be able to let go of completely. But when I was flying that plane into the water, all I could think about was you. I wanted more time with you. Another chance to kiss and hold you. And when I woke up and I got that chance, Beth, I couldn't let that slip away again. I had to forgive the unforgivable so I could learn to be happy."

"You're too good to me," she said, sniffing.

"Maybe," Steve responded. "But I do know that I love you. And being in love is accepting the other's faults."

"Everything okay over here?" Tony asked, leaning against a clothes rack.

Steve looked down at Bethany, the worry etched in his face silently asking her the same thing. "Yeah," Bethany said quietly. "You ready?"

Tony nodded, giving her a small smile. "You buying those?"

Bethany looked at the baby onesie and booties and then to Steve. "Get them," he answered with a smile. "This way we can start focusing on the future and not the past. Now dry those tears."

"I love you," she said as she wiped away the streaks down her face.

He leaned down and kissed her nose. "I know. And that's one of the reasons I forgave you."

* * *

><p>"Wow," Steve said when they slipped into the room. "This is-"<p>

"Amazing," Bethany finished, looking around the honeymoon suite. At first, she was worried about their stay in the room. Was it bad luck to stay there before they were married? She really didn't know, but she hoped it wasn't. But now, looking around the room, she saw it was like any other room, but with more hearts and a much better view. "You can see Cinderella's castle from here."

Bethany walked up to the window, smiling at the view of the beautiful castle. She could feel Steve walk up behind her, resting his hands on her arms. "I took Tony when he was little for his birthday. His mother came with us. I remember him being so happy that day, but when I was carrying him to the steamboat that night to go back to the hotel, he asked me why his dad wasn't there. I know that Howard loved Tony, but he wasn't ready to be a father. Just like I wasn't ready to be a mother."

They stood there a little bit longer, in complete silence. Bethany was thinking back to that day, the smile on Tony's face when he met Mickey Mouse, and the wonder in his eyes at all the rides asking how each mechanic fit with the other. It was the happiest she ever saw him throughout the years and the memory of him in his Mouseketeer ears always made her heart soar.

"Shower? Or bed?" Steve asked, breaking the silence.

"Shower," Bethany answered with a small yawn. "I feel icky."

"Can I join you?" He questioned, kissing her shoulder.

"You never need an invitation," Bethany told him with a smile before slipping away and moving to the bathroom. "Man, the shower is _huge_."

"Perfect for two," Steve said when he followed her.

"Perfect for more than two," Bethany corrected with a chuckle. She moved to start the water, wincing as the water pressure settled. She took the shampoo and conditioner samples off the counter and moved them to the shower ledge, then began to unwrap the bar of soap and leaving it next to the samples. Turning around, Steve had already began to undress. She smiled, watching every muscle in his body tense as he pulled down his boxers.

"What?" Steve asked, stilling.

"Just appreciating you," She said simply with a lazy smile. "All the muscles, the perfect V formation. The ideal man. You know, I think you're getting bigger. Your shoulders look wider."

She took a step towards him, laying her hands on his shoulders, her fingers moving to his biceps. Steve leaned down, cupping her chin and pressing his lips to hers. She let out a soft moan when he pulled on her lower lip, a smile tugging at her lips.

"Shall we?" Bethany asked, taking one of his hands and looking in the direction of the shower with a smirk.

"Just need to fix one thing," Steve responded, looking at her ripped tank top and decidedly ripping it in half instead of pulling it over her head. Bethany squealed, it turning into laughter as Steve's fingers moved to her jeans, his lips covering hers for a quick kiss. As he pulled them and her underwear down her body, his kisses trailed down the center of her chest and stopping just under her belly button.

Her hands rested on his shoulders as she stepped out of the clothing puddle and then moved to undo her bra. Bethany then stepped away from Steve and into the shower, him following close behind. Turning to face him, she pulled him under the direct aim of the showerhead, both of their heads instantly becoming wet as Steve leaned down for another kiss.

"You want do the washing?" Bethany asked when they pulled away. Steve's body was pressing hers against the cold tiles of the shower wall, all his hard edges creating a sense of protection to her.

"Please and thank you," he said, reaching for the bottle of shampoo and rearranging their bodies so Bethany was directly under the water, him in front of her. Bethany tilted her head back, letting the water completely dampen her skull as Steve worked up a lather.

Pressing his body up against hers, she leaned as far into him as she could as his hands worked their way into her scalp. The feeling of his hands working made her body tingle and she had to hold onto his arm. As Steve's fingers massaged her skull, rubbing circles and tugging only a little, Bethany placed kisses on one of Steve's pectorals.

Every nerve in their bodies were humming with anticipation as they melted into each other, one of Steve's hands resting on her lower back as the other rinsed the soapy suds from her head. Bethany hands moved down to cup his behind, giving the firm muscles a tight squeeze and relishing as his member hardened against her body.

The growing need of pleasure grew in both of them as Bethany reached for the bar of soap. "My turn to wash you," she explained with a smirk and rise of her eyebrow. She stepped out from under the shower head and began to rub her soapy hands over his neck and chest, and down his body to his legs.

Steve took in a deep, raged breath as she kissed down the V of his hips. He let out a deep moan in frustration when she moved back up, holding the soap out for him. He took it while they switched places and Steve using the same washing techniques, lingering especially on her chest.

Bethany pushed him up against the wall, unable to control herself. "I think I'm clean," she told him in between deep kisses.

"Same here," Steve responded before letting go of the soap and taking a hold of her hips. Bethany licked his collarbone, sucking graciously at the curve of his neck before trailing her kisses down his body. Placing her hands at his hips, she kissed his hipbone again, teasingly him greatly. He groaned as his hands balled up.

She smiled mischievously up at him, sticking her tongue out and leaning to lick his length. He let out a ragged breath as the tip of her tongue dragged down and then back up again. She leaned back to torment him a little more. He pulled her up roughly and attacked her neck. She tilted it giving him more room and pushed her hips against his. Her fingers held onto his biceps as he took a hold of her behind to press them even closer together.

Bethany let out an appreciative gasp and loudly sighed as his kisses became harder and harder. He could feel how slick she was becoming and quickly lifted her up. Her legs wrapped around him as he rammed her up against the tiled wall. He pulled apart to take some deep breaths as he positioned himself. Bethany brought herself forward to connect them, letting out a forceful groan. Her hands wrapped around his neck and brought his face to hers. Desperately, they pulled and bit at each other's lips, swirled their tongues around lovingly and let out moans from the back of their throats. Bethany's fingers pulled on his dampened hair as he began moving inside of her.

She was forced to break the fervent kiss to let air into her lungs, but ended up almost screaming in pleasure. Steve smiled with pride as her head thrashed back. "Faster," she demanded in between infrequent breaths. He happily gave into her demands and loudly grunted.

"Bed," Steve gasped, taking a firm grasp on her body and turning off the water for the shower. As he stepped out of the tub, holding his fiancé close, her lips lazily dancing along the column of his neck. Despite their bodies still being dripping wet, Steve brought them to the bed and carefully laid them down. Bethany rolled them around so she was straddling him and sat up. She brought her hands to her hair, pulling it up as they started their momentum again. Keeping her breath steady as their hips rolled together, she tilted her head back and let out a long moan.

"Go wild," Bethany gasped. "Fulfill that promise."

Steve knew what she was talking about; him giving her pet names in exchange from a break from their usual love making into a wild night. And as much as he never wanted to hurt her, he could see the desperation in her eyes. There was that deep burning desire in him wanting to be fulfilled and more importantly, they were already exploring new grounds. None of their love making sessions that been so hot and heavy before. He flipped them over, dominating over her before quickening the pace, pushing into her like he never did before. She cried out, but a smile on her face, her hands holding onto his neck. She opened her legs even more, wrapping them around his waist as he built up every inch of strength to continue his pace. His name and plenty of moans escaped Bethany's lips, driving Steve to near insanity.

Her finger nails dug deep into his skin, but the pain was quick, the pleasure lasting longer. He could feel her walls dancing around him, her mouth forming that perfect 'o' as her toes curled. Steve's mouth connected with her sweet spot as he gave the last couple thrusts, unable to keep from biting into her skin as he came. She laughed lazily as he laid softly on top of her, exhausted. He kissed her collarbone and peppered kisses onto her breasts as her breathing began to even out. Steve could feel her heart hammering inside her body, almost like it was ready to break away, and he was sure she could feel the same with him.

* * *

><p>Steve groaned as a loud hammering came at the door of their hotel room. Peeking at the clock, he saw that it was well past noon, but with their late night adventures, a nice long shower and making love until they fell asleep, Steve was certain he had just fallen asleep a couple hours prior.<p>

The knocking on the door didn't stop, so Steve pulled himself off of the bed and looked around the room for his pants, his boxers, or even the bath robes that were in the room. "I'm coming," he mumbled, finding one of the robes and pulling it on tight. Before turning to the door, he checked on Bethany. She was still asleep, her hair wildly spread against the white bedspread and lying on her stomach. He carefully pulled the bed sheet over her shoulders, brushing some blond strands out of her face before turning to the door.

Opening it a creek, he sighed when he saw it was Tony. "'Bout time," he said impatiently. "Open up. Aunty dearest and I have things to do."

"She's still sleeping," Steve said, opening the door a little bit more and fitting his body in the crack. "Morning Pepper."

"Sorry about this," the redhead apologized with a smile. "I tried to tell him-"

"Just wake her up," Tony interrupted, waving his hand. "She won't care. We're going to do science. Her favorite thing in the world."

"Take it from someone who knows," Steve began, crossing his arms. "Science is _not_ her favorite thing in the world. And even when she wakes up to her favorite thing, she holds a grudge."

"Too bad," Tony said, pushing the door open and slipping in. "By the way, room service will be here in a couple of minutes. Thought you and Pep could eat and watch a movie while the scientists get to work. Bethany, wake up."

He started poking her arm and she jolted. "What?" She snapped, yawning. "Tony? Go away."

"Get up," he insisted.

"Get _out_," Bethany countered. "I'm naked."

Tony stilled, dropping a bag he had with him before leaving the room with no words. Pepper stood in the corner, a small, amused smile on her face. "Here," Steve said, handing her the dress she bought the night before, as well as the bathing suit.

"I don't want to," Bethany mumbled, but getting out of bed and getting dressed anyways. Pepper picked up the remote and started flipping through the channels as Steve tied the back of her dress.

"Good morning," Steve tried, trying to lift her spirits. "About last night-Or this morning,"

"Are you trying to thank me?" Bethany asked before letting out a yawn, turning around and wrapping her arms around his neck. "You don't need to thank me for sex, Steve."

"I just wanted to say that you were right," Steve said, pressing his forehead against hers. "Pain can be pleasure."

She tapped his nose before shimming away from him and going to open the door. "Get in here and let's get to work."

"Foods here!" Tony announced as two trollies of food were brought into the room. "Umm, Steve? You wanna pick up the bill?"

Steve let out a huff but nodded, going over to sign the bill. Pepper pulled the metal lids off the food and started picking at some of the food. Bethany poured herself a glass of water before settling on the bed. "You get a laptop?"

"Yes," Tony said pulling it out of his bag. "But we're not doing working on that bed as I am sure more than one child has been conceived in it over the years."

Bethany straightened her back, realizing he was right. She quickly hopped off the bed and they sat they moved to the couch. Steve brought one of the plates over for Tony and Bethany to nibble on as they worked, kissing Bethany's forehead before leaving them in peace.

Together, the two geniuses read over every report they could get their hands on. As expected, once they looked at the formula, they got about twenty different ideas on how to fix it, and began to do the math.

Meanwhile, Steve made the bed so he and Pepper could sit and watch a movie. He barely spent any time with the woman, despite the fact she was planning his wedding. "How are all the wedding things going?" He asked while Pepper channel surfed some more.

"You could have it tomorrow, if you wanted," Pepper said with a smile. "Dress is picked, venue ready. Actually, I was hoping I could get the chance to talk to you about a reception. Bethany says she doesn't need one, but I know she wants that first dance, and a wedding cake. I think she just doesn't want to leave Peggy out of everything, and it would be hard to have a reception at the retirement home."

Steve nodded. "Peggy is a huge part of both of our lives. But Bethany has been waiting a _long_ time for this. Peggy would understand. You should go ahead and do it."

"I was thinking it could be a surprise," Pepper enlightened.

"That's a great idea, actually," Steve agreed. "I can give you a list of some of the people you can invite. Most of them are SHIELD employees, but isn't a reception just basically a party?"

"Yes," Pepper nodded. "I'll need your help with music, food and decorations. It's clear that you know Bethany the best out of everyone in this world."

"You should ask Natasha as well," Steve inputted. "She helped me find a ring."

"Speaking of rings," Pepper said, turning her body to look at Steve a little better. "Are you going to wear a wedding band?"

"Of course," Steve answered, a small smile pulling at his lips. He loved the idea of having something that told the world he belonged to Bethany."Why?"

"Tony and I had a little bet going on," Pepper said with a shrug. "I win."

* * *

><p>It was dinner time when Tony and Bethany were confident in their calculations. "See? I told you," Bethany said with a smirk. "No big deal."<p>

Tony rolled his eyes. "Easy to say when it's not your life."

"Hey," Bethany said, frowning. "Pepper is a part of my life, too, okay? I care about what happens to her. But sometimes, I'm confident in things working out well. Like… like Steve. I mean, I was worried, but I would have asked for more time if I wasn't certain it was going to work."

"I guess we're onto fixing our next problem," Tony said with a sigh, leaning back into the couch.

"Me?" Bethany asked, not following.

"Me, actually," Tony explained, tapping his arc reactor. "I think it's time I got rid of this. It kept me alive when I needed it to, but now… it's time for it to retire."

"You sure?" Bethany questioned, crossing her arms.

"It's time to move on," Tony nodded.

"Okay," Bethany replied. "Then good for you, kid. You know, I'm really proud of you. You've done a lot of growing this year."

"We both have," Tony reminded her. "We're both in grown up relationships."

Bethany chuckled, shaking her head. "Who would've guessed that the Starks would be in stable relationships, where despite their flaws, the other stays with them."

"Like mom with dad," Tony pointed out.

Bethany nodded. "Yeah, Howard had a _lot_ of flaws. But Maria loved him." She turned her gaze to where Pepper and Steve were still sitting on the bed, watching TV. "I can't believe how lucky we are."

"Hopefully one day they'll feel the same way."  
>"You know what?" Bethany began, a smile tugging at her lips. "I think they do now."<p>

"That's a crazy thought," Tony concluded before standing up. "Okay! Dinner time. Where we going? And don't say somewhere lame, it's Christmas dinner. We need all the fixings. You know what? I want turkey. You want turkey? I want turkey."  
>Bethany chuckled, standing up from the couch and moving to standing next to the bed, pushing some of Steve's hair away from his forehead. "Next year, we'll have Christmas dinner at our place," Bethany volunteered.<p>

"Sounds wonderful," Pepper responded.

"All done with your calculations and whatnot?" Steve asked, letting Bethany play with his hair some more as it still hadn't been styled.

"Yup," Tony said with an air of success.

"Tomorrow, we'll go into the SHIELD base located here in Orlando and put our theories to work," Bethany told Pepper. "There is not a day since New York I haven't been grateful for my promotion. Before I would've had to get permission, book a room and all that jazz, but we can just walk in tomorrow."  
>Bethany's promotion to Fury's closest confidant was more than she would've expected. He told her <em>everything<em>. Or at least, she thought he did. But she was actively informed on Project Insight, as well as all other top secret SHIELD projects. Whether or not she agreed with the projects, Fury always got her to oversee outlines and double check calculations. Because of this, she had less missions and more office work, but she really didn't mind it. There was a sense of normality that came with doing paperwork in an office that made her think that she didn't necessarily have give up working for SHIELD when she and Steve decided to have kids, just missions. And Fury seemed to be grateful for her help. In fact, he was going to her before Maria Hill, and that was just like icing on top of the cake.

"So dinner?" Tony asked, rubbing his hands together.

"I'm more tired than hungry, to be honest," Bethany said. As much as she wanted a family dinner, she was fighting to keep her yawn in her mouth and her eyes open.

Tony frowned. "Steve, Pep?"

"Tony, she's right. Not everyone can live off caffeine," Pepper said with a small smile.

"Cap?"

Steve gave him a small shrug. "I did just polish off eight different dishes. Food exhaustion is setting in."

Tony groaned but gave in. "Fine. Fine."

"Steve, can you move the couch over here?" Bethany asked, pulling Tony's arm to hold him in place when he tried to leave.

"Sure," he answered slowly, getting up and moving the couch with annoyingly stress-free ease.

"Stay," Bethany insisted. "We'll order room service again, and watch a Christmas movie. You can pick which one."

Tony thought about it as Steve rearranged the couch position. "Only if we watch _Die Hard_."

Pepper groaned. "That's not a Christmas movie!"

"It happens during Christmas!" Tony insisted.

"Fine," Pepper said, shaking her head. "But then we watch_ Home Alone_."

Bethany smiled. "Kevin reminds me of you as a child, kid," she revealed.

"Deal," Tony agreed, flopping on the couch.

* * *

><p><strong>**AN: Because technically ****_Die Hard_**** is a Christmas movie. **

**Jo: It's a long time coming, but I'm definitely excited to write it!**

**FeliciaFelicis: My walls are covered with framed movie posters and baseball pictures. There is no shame in fangirling. Whenever I watch **_**Agents of SHIELD**_** or any of the Marvel movies I haven't written about yet, I can't help but thinking about where Bethany should be. Even while I was introducing a friend to the first Cap movie, I was reliving all her lines. **


	35. Chapter 35

****A/N: Do you hear that? The tinkling chime of wedding bells? 'Cause I do! After watching a lot of TLC wedding dress shows, I picked a wedding dress I like the best. I wanted Bethany in something modern just to show that Steve and Bethany are moving past their old habits. If you want a looksee, it's Maggie Sottero's _Veronica._**

**Also, this chapter is nice and long since it's a happy occasion! **

**_Important note at the end. _**

Chapter 35

Bethany felt sick to her stomach, a very unsettling feeling, especially for someone who couldn't get sick. She felt the back of her neck dampen with sweat and she couldn't sit still. She took in a couple deep breaths, deciding to look out the window to calm herself down. The view was soothing, the sky her favorite shade of blue, the clouds resembling cotton candy. The leaves on the trees were starting to bloom, and there was a sweet echo of birds chirping in the air.

"Perfect day," Peggy said from beside her.

Bethany kept her gaze on a bird perched on a tree branch, singing its love song. "I don't know if I can do this."

"What?" Pepper snapped, looking up from her phone. "What do you mean-? After all my-?"

"Relax," Peggy assured both of them. "The show will go on. Bethany, darling, look at me."

Bethany unwilling tore her gaze away from the bird, feeling the anxiety wash over her again. "Peggy-"

"Yes or no; do you love Steve?"

Bethany almost scoffed. Of course she loved Steve. She absolutely adored him. "Yes."

"Then why are you worried? You know he'll spend the rest of his life protecting you, keeping you happy. You know he loves you. This is everything you've wanted over the years."

"Change is hard," Bethany whispered. "I thought I was ready, but now that its time, I'm scared."

"That's understandable," Peggy nodded, taking Bethany's hand. "I was nervous for my own wedding. But you and Steve already act like a married couple. You'll only be confirming to the world that you belong to each other and no one else."

Bethany smiled. "I like the way that sounds."

"So, everything is good?" Pepper confirmed, a little on edge. After all her months of planning not just the small wedding but the secret reception had her nervous that all her work could go to waste.

The bride took in a deep breath before standing up from her chair. "Yes. I'm-I'm getting married."

"Well, you look beautiful," Peggy told her, touching some of the fabric of the white dress.

Bethany looked in the mirror at the mermaid styled dress. It fit her like a glove, hugging every curve. The subtle lace covering added dimension to the gown, and Bethany smiled as the little diamonds on the dress glittered in the light. She particularly loved the lace up back and the bow that hung.

"Your veil," Pepper said, moving to tuck the long fabric into the sleek chignon at the back of her head. "You do look beautiful."

Bethany smiled slightly, feeling overwhelmed still. Her reflection didn't betray her friends' words. A few blond curls hung by her face, showcasing her simple but glowing makeup. Her lips were stained a nude colour instead of their customary red, but as always, she had her diamond earring on. Pepper handed her the bouquet, the collection of red roses with a couple white ones thrown into the mix. "This is it," Bethany said to her reflection.

* * *

><p>"This is it," Steve said, moving to fix his bow tie again.<p>

"Relax," Tony assured. "If anyone can do this whole marriage thing nowadays, it's two people with old fashioned values."

"Bethany doesn't have old fashioned values," Steve reminded him, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"She does more than the average woman," Tony answered, rolling his eyes. "You two are annoyingly perfect for each other, okay? Where's those people you invited?"

"Jen said they were stuck in traffic, but that they're a couple minutes away. And Natasha and Clint are also on their way. Bruce is going to meet us at the reception." Steve answered.

"Alright, well the officiator is here, so I'm gonna go check on the bride," Tony said, walking backwards into the building. "You'll be okay? Work out all the last nerves? And not run away? 'Cause I will hunt you down and kill you."

Steve scoffed as he pulled out his phone. Instead of looking at his messages however, he used the black screen to fix his hair. A lot had happened since Christmas. But the biggest of them all was Steve's realization that he had to leave his past in the past, and while he could still remember it, he needed to adjust to the times. His first plan of action was a haircut. The clothes followed, Bethany helping him in picking out jeans and plaid shorts, t-shirts and jackets. There were often times when he was wearing sunglasses that people in public didn't even notice him since he blended in so perfectly. Bethany had even tried to get him to grow some facial hair, but Steve couldn't deal with more than two day stubble.

With a year since he woke up and the attack on New York, Bethany and Steve had settled into a way of living that bordered on normal, but was perfect to them. Steve actively knew how to use all the technology in the house, and while every day something was added to his list, when people at work were talking about the latest _Walking Dead_ episode, Steve always felt great that he knew exactly what they were talking about. He was no longer a lost soul in a strange world.

"Steve!" He heard from behind him before his legs were wrapped in an iron hold. He turned his head, smiling, as the culprit was Theo. "I missed you!"

Steve laughed as Theo unwrapped his arms, Steve leaning down to ruffle his hair a little. "How are you?"

"Good!"

"Where's your mom?" Steve asked, looking up, but finding Jen stumbling over in too-high high heels and a tight dress. "You look fancy."

"Well, I hear this reception will be amazing," Jen said with a smile as Steve stood up and offered her a hug. "I need to look my best for all your superhero friends."

Steve chuckled, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Remember, Bethany knows nothing about any of this."

"We know," Jen said with a nod. "Right Theo?"

"Right!" Theo cheered, playing with his bowtie. "This thing is chocking me."

"Here," Steve said, leaning down to his height again and fixing it so it wasn't as tight. "Better?"

"Perfect," Theo agreed.

"Listen buddy, I need to ask you a favor." Theo nodded enthusiastically, his hair dancing over his forehead. "I was wondering if you'd be my best man."

Theo's smile grew. "Yes! Wait, what's that?"

Jen and Steve laughed, Steve collecting the five year old in his arms and standing up. "Well to begin with, you're in charge of the rings." The solider pulled out the little velvet box carrying both of the rings and handed it to Theo, who opened it and looked circular symbols of love.

"Wow!" Theo said, picking up the diamond wedding band for Bethany, the sparkles covering it and shining in the sunlight.

"And you stand by me during the wedding," Steve continued. "Giving me and Bethany the rings when it's time. You also have to escort the maid of honor down the aisle before Bethany comes down."

"Okay!" Theo agreed, closing the ring box and holding it in his chubby fingers.

"You up for the job?"

"Yes!" Theo cheered again. "Can I mommy, can I?"

"Of course," Jen said with a chuckle. "C'mon. We'll go see Bethany now. And you can met the maid of honor."

"Okay," Theo responded as Steve let him down.

"You'll be okay?" Jen asked, laying a hand on Steve's arm.

He nodded, scratching the back of his neck. "Yeah. Yeah."

"Nervous?" Jen questioned with a little smile. "It's completely normal. But you and Bethany… you'll know it's right the second you see her."

"Thank you," Steve answered truthfully. "I really needed to hear that."

* * *

><p>Tony counted the numbers on the doors, trying to remember which one was Peggy's. It felt overwhelming that the day was already there. It had been a year since the attack, since Bethany and Steve got back together. It had been a year since he couldn't sleep and a year since he started creating the Iron Legion. But now, now everything was different. Since Christmas, he had kept his promise to Pepper about limiting his distractions. It was a little hard, his fingers always itching to do <em>something<em> and his fear about not being able to protect the ones he loved still there. Bethany had come up with an alternative.

SHIELD was creating a series of hellicarriers for a top secret project and asked Tony if he wanted to help in the development. He jumped to the task as when he was repairing the engine before Loki's attack he noticed a lot of things that could be changed. This way, he continued to work with mechanics, and the project was evidently the keep the world safe. Bethany told him very little about it, but he could tell she wasn't overly thrilled with her involvement. She assured it would keep the world safe, nonetheless.

He could sleep again. His fears were slowly leveling, and after finding out that venting his feelings to Bruce, even if the doctor was asleep, was the perfect way to cope, he started sharing his fears more. With Bruce, Pepper, Bethany, Happy, Rhodey. Anyone that was there, and he was happy to say, there was a lot. Even Steve suggested they go out for dinner a couple weeks back, and he found himself finding a confidant in him. Steve carried a lot of the same baggage and never judged Tony for his emotions, only lack-off.

Which was one of the reasons that he was actually _excited_ for that day. He could see how perfect Bethany and Steve fit together. And although he was truly becoming to respect and even like the soldier, he couldn't help but occasionally tease him. The reaction was always too good. Despite all this, Tony took bringing Steve to a strip club the night before for his bachelor party very seriously. He thought Steve's face would never return to normal, and he had never seen anyone look so guilty in his life.

_"Just enjoy," Tony told Steve with a sigh. "Enjoy. Drink. This is your last night of freedom."_

_ "I don't see me marriage Bethany as a loss of freedom," Steve countered, downing the last of his beer and looking at his shoes. _

_ "Would it help if I told you Bethany thought this was a good idea?"_

_ "She did?" Steve said, his head snapping up to look at Tony. "She knows about this?"_

_ "Yup," Tony nodded, taking out his phone. "And she told me to call her if you did this."_

_ The phone was shoved in his face, it already ringing. "Tony this is- Beth. Hi."_

_ Tony sat back and ordered another drink while Steve tried to convince Bethany to let him leave. It was hilarious seeing a fully grown American hero beg his fiancé to leave a strip club. _I'll give him one thing_, Tony thought as he finished off another sex on the beach. _He's dedicated.

_"You…you did something similar?" Steve asked, his voice cracking a little. Tony couldn't help but laugh. The look on Steve's face was pure horror. Tony knew all about that night. Pepper, Natasha and their neighbour, Kate, took Bethany out for the night, Pepper even hiring some male strippers. _

_ "Beth, I don't know about this," Steve sighed. _

_"What's going on?" Clint asked as he settled beside him, Bruce on the other side. _

_ "Steve is uncomfortable and begging Bethany to pick him up," Tony said, only telling half the truth. _

_ Clint chuckled, Bruce shaking his head. "It's not really his scene, is it?" The archer asked, hailing the server down. "Whatever you have on tap."_

_ "Nothing for me," Bruce said with a meek smile. "It is his party. Maybe we should've asked him what he wanted to do."_

_ "Boo!" Tony complained, but seeing Bruce looking a little uncomfortable as well. "Okay fine." He pulled the phone from Steve's hands, telling Bethany he would talk to her later before shutting it, a protesting Steve trying to grab the phone again. "We'll have it your way."_

_ "Thank you," Steve said, looking more grateful than a man in this situation should be._

_ "Aw," Clint let out as they all stood up, Tony throwing some bills at their table. "I didn't get a beer. Or a lap dance."_

_ "Where to Captain?" Tony asked, ignoring Clint's comment altogether. If he was going to do this, he didn't need Clint whining in his ear. _

_ "Um, I don't know," Steve said meekly. "I've never been to one of these things before."_

_ "Well this is typically what you'll find at a bachelor party," Clint explained. _

_ "But not all of them," Bruce assured. "There are men out there who share your values."_

_ "It's not just about values," Steve explained. "It's… I don't know, even if Bethany says it's okay, I feel like I'm betraying her in a sense. And these women... I don't know, it just feels wrong."_

_ "That's noble," Bruce said truthfully, taking off his glasses, cleaning them and putting them back on. "How about bowling?"_

_ "As long as you don't Hulk out when you _lose_," Clint said, getting very excited. _

_ Tony groaned, "You want to go bowling with someone with perfect aim?" _

_ "No, no sounds fun," Steve agreed. "Bowling and burgers?"_

_ "What are we, teenaged boys?" Tony asked, but shook his head. "Let's go before I change my mind."_

_ "What did Bethany do for her bachelorette party?" Clint questioned as they left the strip club. _

_ Steve seemed to grumble in response but Tony gave the actual answer. "Typical girl stuff. Hair and makeup, wine and cosmos. And male strippers."_

_ Clint snickered watching as Steve sulked, the very idea infuriating to him. "Cheer up, Cap. She's gonna be all yours soon enough."_

"Everyone decent?" Tony asked before entering Peggy's room which was used for bride central. "Cap is getting anxious." He trailed off however when he saw Bethany, a small smile tugging at his lips. "You look… amazing. He's going to stutter through all his vows, without a doubt."

A real smile appeared on her face, the first of the day. "Thanks Tony. I needed that."

"Okay, so we all agreed Steve couldn't be your something old. Oh, hi Stark," Natasha said as she came in the room with a box.

He nodded in response. "Where's Hawk?"

"Parking the car," she explained with ease before sitting down.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Bethany muttered.

"No," Natasha said strictly. "No, you're not. Okay? This in comparison to everything you've done in the past couple so decades is easy. All you have to say is 'I do'. No undercover work, no ass-kicking or target practice."

"She's right," Peggy agreed.

Bethany closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath, only opening them when she heard her name being shouted by a little boy. "Theo?"

Her smile reappeared as the little boy ran to her, jumping up into her arms. They held onto each tight and it was as if they hadn't spent a day a part, their relationship still strong. "I missed you," the five year old whispered into her ear.

"I know," Bethany responded, kissing his cheek. "I've missed you too."

"Your hair is blond," Theo noticed.

Bethany laughed. "That's right, I haven't seen you in over a year. What do you think?"

"Weird," the kid responded. "But pretty."

Bethany shook her head amused. "You've gotten pretty _big_. Growing up, eh? Did you like your Christmas present?"

"Yes!" He answered with a laugh. "Lots of action figures! And Santa got me a Captain America costume to play with!"

"You must have been a good boy," Bethany said before kissing him again and looking to his mom. "I can't believe you're here."

"Thank your soon-to-be husband," Jen said, coming in for a quick hug. "He arranged it all. I couldn't say no."

Bethany smiled, biting her lip and sniffing as if holding back tears. "Okay, I… I think I'm ready. I can do this."

"That's the spirit!" Peggy cheered.

Bethany put down the little boy, who started to touch the side of her dress, whispering the word 'pretty' as the diamonds reflected around the room. "Time for the good luck charms," Natasha said with a smile.

"You already have the something blue," Pepper explained to the room. "Your garter."

"Something borrowed," Peggy started, taking something out of the box. "The shoes I wore to my wedding."

Bethany smiled, sitting close to the elderly woman. "Thank you Pegs."

"Already worn in and everything," Peggy smiled. "Although if you would rather the shoes you have on now-"

"Are you kidding?" Bethany asked in disbelief. "I'd be honored to wear these. And the ones I have on now are cutting off my circulation. I literally have cold feet."

The room chuckled as Bethany switched her shoes, Natasha holding the box out to Tony who took out a pair of car keys. "Your something old," he explained. "You'll be driving away in Ford Model T and the something new is the complete rebuilt engine inside. You're welcome."

Bethany laughed before throwing her arms around her nephew. "That's too perfect. Thank you, kid."

"Okay, well we should probably go downstairs now," Pepper instructed the room. "Everyone but Tony, Peggy and of course Bethany."

"Oh, Theo as well," Jen spoke up.

"I'm the best man," he declared proudly.

Bethany covered her mouth, holding back a happy sob. "You okay, dear?" Peggy asked concerned.

"I'm perfect," she confessed. "Hearing that Steve did that… oh, it just helps so much."

"Out, out," Pepper told the room, turning to give Bethany an excited smile before leaving as well.

Bethany took Theo's hand and walked him over to Peggy. "Theo, this is my oldest and dearest friend, Peggy. She was the first person who told me that Steve loved me."

"Really?" Theo asked with wide eyes.

"I sure did," Peggy responded with a twinkle in her eye.

"Peggy," Bethany continued. "This is Theo. He is very near and dear to my heart, even if I haven't been around for the past year."

"She sends comic books though," Theo said in defense. "She's the best babysitter."

"Is she now?" Peggy asked with a smile.

Bethany went behind Peggy's wheel chair and pushed it forward. "Do you think you can push this, Theo? If you can't, it's okay."

"I'm a big boy!" Theo argued, taking Bethany's spot, and after a couple heavy pushes, able to move the rolling chair.

Bethany folded her hands together as Theo pushed the chair out of the room and down the hall, him and Peggy having subtle chatter.

"You ready?" Tony asked, catching Bethany's attention. "Sign your life away?"

Bethany shook her head amused. "I don't see it that way."

He scoffed. "You two _are _perfect for each other."

Tony offered his arm and together they caught up to where Theo was pushing the chair out onto the patio for the garden. "Don't let me fall."

"Oh, but then where's the fun in that?" Tony teased. "But don't worry. You've had my back, and now I'll have yours."

"I love you Tony," Bethany said kissing his cheek.

"I love you too, Aunt Bethany," Tony responded with a sincere smile. "Dad is looking down right now so proud of you. I know it."

"I know it too," Bethany agreed.

* * *

><p>Natasha, Clint and Jen were all sitting down, Pepper by the archway, waiting to give instructions. Steve fiddled with his bow tie once again, earning a stern 'stop' from Natasha. He had already exchanged small pleasantries with the officiator but Steve was barely capable of forming more than two word sentence. <em>Good thing 'I do' is only two words<em>, he thought as he debated biting his nails.

Pepper ran down the small, but still there, aisle to her seat with an excited smile on her face. Soft traditional music flowed into the garden, the flowers in full bloom and making for a picture perfect moment. Steve couldn't hold back his smile when he saw Theo pushing Peggy's chair down the aisle.

The old woman definitely cleaned up well. Her hair was in a typical Peggy Carter fashion, the front in soft finger waves, the rest of the grey tresses pulled behind her head in a no doubt elaborate hairstyle. She was wearing a pale blue dress and a happy smile. Seeing her, one of the people who changed his life, who believed in him before so many others did, it made the whole day that much more special.

He felt a little twinge in his heart for not having Bucky there with him. To share with his childhood friend a dream he never thought he would get. But Steve knew he was there in spirit, just like Howard was. He had a feeling his two friends would be proud of not only Steve, but Bethany, for pulling through and finding a perfect medium to their lives.

Steve helped Theo arrange Peggy's chair when they got close, Theo moving to proudly stand behind Steve. If Bucky couldn't be there as his best man, Steve was glad it was Theo. The kid may have only been a part of his life a fraction of what Bucky was, but Theo was the first person to become Steve's friend when he first woke up. And for that, Steve would never forget.

Finally, the small crowd they had stood and the wedding march quietly faded into the surroundings. Steve brought his gaze away from the five year old and to the arch where Bethany stood, holding onto Tony for dear life, but looking more beautiful than Steve could ever imagine. He swallowed deeply as Tony and Bethany started down the aisle at a painstakingly slow pace. All Steve wanted was to have her in his grasps. To hold her. To kiss her. To make her his.

A smile spread across Bethany's face when she reached him, Tony kissing her cheek, but almost going unnoticed as she mouthed the word 'hey' to Steve.

He responded the same way, holding out his hands for her to take, giving them a quick squeeze.

_This is it_.

* * *

><p>It really didn't surprise Clint that they were there at that very moment. He was there a little over a year ago when Bethany got the news. The way she immediately stood up and rushed to him, no matter how tired she was, was a clear indication that it was more than friendship. Bethany had only reacted that way when Tony was in danger, and Clint knew just how much the billionaire meant to her.<p>

He had gone with her, watched her as she ordered the men around, barking commands on how to get him free. He had been there when the ice around his right hand melted and Bethany took it in hers, holding it tightly. It was as if everything changed. She wasn't just a SHIELD agent anymore with a long and dwindling past. A super human living in a careless world. She seemed to have a purpose.

Clint felt a sense of pride filling him for sharing this moment with them. Bethany had very little friends outside of work, and Steve seemingly had none. But those who were there were family according to Bethany, and he felt very proud to be a part of that group. He was witnessing history, _the _Captain America marrying his wartime sweetheart. There were millions of people who wanted to be in his shoes; reporters, historians and fangirls. Definitely the fangirls.

"And now, for the personal vows," the officiator said, stepping back a little.

"Ladies first," Steve spoke softly, bringing a small chuckle out of Bethany.

"I tried to write down what I felt," Bethany began. "Every time, they felt sappy and forced. I tried to imagine this very moment and how I felt, but I couldn't quite capture it. But now… I think I know exactly what I want to say.

"I know it took me a _really _long time to tell you that I love you, but there's not a day that I regret it. And… and I think I loved you the first day I saw you, I just didn't know it. I saw the baggy clothes and dismissed you altogether, but Erskine…" Steve and Bethany exchanged a small laugh in memory of the man. "He saw something that very little saw in you. And he told me to keep an open mind and within the next twenty minutes, I found myself impressed with you in every aspect. And I finally understood exactly what the super soldier program was about.

"I thought I knew what we were looking for until what we were looking for found us. All the roads that got us here, all the laughs and tears. Everything. I know this is where I'm meant to be. And after living so much of my life, I know it's better with you. If I have to be on this earth for another 90 years, I'd rather share it with you.

"Captain Rogers, I promise to be the best that I can, only because you want me to be. I promise to always be there when you need me, and listen to your reason. I promise that I won't put myself in an unnecessary danger and to help you finish your SHIELD reports. I promise to have a fully stocked fridge all the time and clean clothes. I promise steak dinners and back massages. I promise an undying desire to grant you happiness and sing you to sleep whenever you ask. I promise to love you and cherish you and make you feel like the luckiest man in the world."

Steve reached out and touched the corner of Bethany's face, an indication that she shed a couple of tears at her heartfelt vows. "How do I top that?" Steve joked. "You may not have known you loved me at first, but I knew I loved you. I knew that you were beautiful and you were kind. You were… impulsive and high-spirited. And the more I got to know about you, the more I wanted to know. I needed to know more than the fact that you liked cheese. I needed to know what kind, and with what. I can honestly say, I am addicted to you. And I tried to distance myself, but I never could. No matter how hard.

"When I told you I was looking for the right partner, some part of my heart was hoping that it would be you. A fraction that was dedicated to what had been known as lost dreams. But standing here now… I feel more gratitude for your friendship and understanding than anything else. With you, I don't need anything else. I don't need people to know who I am. I don't need a home because I know it's wherever you are.

"I promise to love you and take care of you. I promise to make you laugh when you're sad and always order pizza with the pepperoni on top. I promise to _try_ to remember to pick up my socks from the bathroom and to always ask permission before eating the last of the chocolate. I promise to listen to _your_ reason and understand that sometimes putting yourself in unnecessary danger gets the job done. I promise not to yell at you when trying to finish my SHIELD reports and let you sleep in during your days off. Lastly, I promise to make up all those years I lost with you, since nothing hurts me more than knowing I missed any part of your life."

Bethany freed one of her hands from Steve's to wipe away some tears, a smile shining through before turning to the officiator. "Hurry up, I need to kiss him."

Everyone laughed, but there was truth in Bethany's words that everyone could feel. "Do you, Bethany Elizabeth Stark take this man to be your husband, to have and to hold, through sickness and health, for better or for worse, until death do you part?"

She took in a ragged breath, her voice cracking as she held back tears. "I do."

"And do you, Captain Steven Grant Rogers take this woman to be your wife, to have and to hold, through sickness and health, for better or for worse, until death do you part?"

"I do," he answered immediately, as if he was only waiting to respond in a gesture of politeness.

"May I have the rings?"

Clint watched as a little kid, who Natasha told him was Steve's best man, Theo, dug into his pocket and pulled out a velvet ring box. "I've got it!"

Everyone chuckled as the officiator took the ring box from the excited boy, giving Bethany's ring to Steve and vice versa. "Steve, repeat after me; with this ring, I wed thee."

"With this ring, I wed thee," Steve repeated dutifully, taking the wedding band and slipping it on to her delicate finger and then fitting the infinity engagement ring on top of it, the two fitting together perfectly.

"Bethany?" The officiator asked. "With this ring, I wed thee."

Bethany nodded, taking the slender and simple band Steve picked out himself and sliding it onto his ring finger. "With this ring, I wed thee."

"I now, by the state of Maryland and the District of Columbia, pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

* * *

><p>"What. Is. That?" Bethany asked Steve. After photos that Pepper insisted on and some quick finger sandwiches, Steve had snatched Bethany away. Bridal style, of course.<p>

Steve looked at the bandana he had just, after some casual struggle, pulled out of his pocket. "A blind fold," he explained as they walked up to the Ford Model T parked outside the retirement home.

"And what are you planning on doing with it?" She asked as he put her down carefully.

"Kidnap you," Steve answered plainly, turning her around so he could pull the blind fold over her eyes.

"Excuse me?" She asked, folding her arms.

Steve opened the passenger's door and directed her into the seat. "Yes, Mrs. Rogers. You're my wife now, and I have the right-"

"To kidnap me?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

Steve chuckled, leaning down to kiss her. "Surprise you. Come on, play along."

She shook her head as he held up the blind fold. "Um, no. No. One, hair. Two, makeup,"

"Live a little," he whispered into her ear, pulling the blind fold around her head.

"Hair!" She shouted, feeling as he brushed over the bun at the back of her head. "We may just be heading to our honeymoon destination, but I sat in a chair for an hour getting this done."

"I'm being careful," Steve insisted, finishing the knot and kissing her cheek. "You ready?"

"This better be good, Rogers," she grumbled, but the small smile tugging at her lips gave her away.

Bethany could hear him getting into the car, the engine roaring to life. There was a soft vibration through the car and Bethany could almost perfectly picture the last time she was in a Ford Model T. She was five, sitting in the back buggy with Howard.

_"Momma, are we there yet?" Howard asked, pulling on one of Bethany's curls._

_ "Ow! Momma, Howie pulled my hair!" _

_ Her mother's shoulders hunched just a little, before it returned to its usual strict posture. "The two of you, cut it out right now. Your father is driving."_

_ "Can I drive?" Howard asked, twisting the baseball he had in his hands. _

_ "When you're older son," their father responded. "Until then, sit in the back and be quiet. And yes, we're almost there."_

_ Bethany pouted, upset that Howard didn't get in trouble for pulling her hair. She moved her stubby little fingers up to where the blond strands were pulled into two pigtails on each side of her head. Bethany wound the curls up in her fingers, hoping that they weren't a mess. "Momma?"_

_ "What Bethany?" The woman snapped. _

_ "Never mind," she cowered, lowering herself into the seat. _

_ "Bethy?" Howard asked quietly. Bethany turned her gaze to him, her chubby cheeks falling in sadness. All she wanted was to ask if she could get some ice cream later, but her mother's sharp words scared her too much. "You want to hold the ball?"_

_ Bethany's face lit up at her brother's offer. They had just returned from a ball game and Howard was lucky enough to get a ball from one of the outfielders when the game was over. She took the ball from him, cradling it like it was a lost diamond. _

_ "You can keep it if you want," Howard suggested, trying to cheer up his little sister. _

_ "Really?" She asked, but her 'r' coming out as a childish 'w'._

_ "Say it properly, Bethany Elizabeth," her mother snapped once again. "And no you may not. Baseball is for boys. Young ladies should not be playing with dirty toys."_

_ "Now, darling-" their father began. _

_ "No. You take care in raising Howard into a good man, and I'll take care in making Bethany a good wife."_

_ "She's five-"_

_ "Better to start now than later."_

_ "But…" Bethany whispered as Howard apologetically took the ball away from her. Howard, like Bethany was afraid of their mother's wrath. "I don't want to be married, momma."_

_ "Nonsense. You will become a classy lady and get married to a high class man. Understood?"_

_ Bethany's sad face reappeared. She twiddled her fingers, trying to keep the tears back. "Yes momma." She pulled her back up straight to look outside. The car pulled to a stop in traffic, the engine rumbling loud and the car vibrating with a passion. Outside she saw many things. A mother in a brown dress trying to juggle groceries and a baby. That lifestyle didn't appeal to her. Then there was another woman, in a bright red dress, shaking her hips with each step and gathering looks from everyone. The mother seemed appalled, but Bethany smiled. There was something so… mysterious about that woman's life. _

_ "I wish they would fix these blasted automobiles!" Mrs. Stark complained, her voice vibrating along with the car. _

_ "One day," Howard began confidently. "One day, I will, momma."_

_ "Of course you will," She said with a tight smile. _

_ Howard leaned over so he could whisper into Bethany's ear. "You can help me if you want."_

_ Bethany turned to face him, curiosity etched into her. "Help with what?"_

_ "Anything," Howard said with a shrug. "Everything?"_

_ "Really?" She whispered, a smile dragging onto her face again, the back of her childish hand wiping the tears off her face. Again, just like the time before, the 'r' was replace with a 'w'._

_ "Sure," Howard answered with a nod. "It's you and me Beth. And if you want to get married, I'll be there. If you want to help build cars, I'll be there. Whatever it is, Bethy."_

_ "Thank you Howie," she whispered back, leaning in to kiss his cheek. _

"We're here," Steve told her as the car came to a halt.

Bethany nodded, not saying anything. She was too wrapped up in her memory, completely grateful for the blind fold to cover her eyes. She was sure she shed more than one tear in memory. The love and teasing she had received from Howard. The harsh snapping of her mother. The careless ignorance of her father.

"Careful," Steve whispered, helping Bethany out of the car. "There's one step. Right there. There you go."

"Can I take this off now?" Bethany asked, the mystery lost on her.

"Fine," Steve agreed. "Let me do it."

She waited patiently until her vision was restored. She frowned when she saw a tall hotel building. "This is the surprise?"

"No," Steve said, taking her hand and pulling her inside the hotel. Some customers checking in, some returning from the swimming pool and some just lounging around looked at them and whispered. They tried to subtly take out their phones, get evidence of the wedding, of seeing the American hero and his bride. Bethany paid no attention as her new husband led her through the hotel with confidence. "I thought we could have a first dance."

The excitement returned to her body, a smile gracing her features. "That is a good surprise."

Steve chuckled, opening double doors to reveal the ballroom, dimly lit and twinkly lights decorating the room with white and red decorations and flowers. Bethany gasped as she saw the wonderment in front of her, but really got her was the harmonized 'surprised' from the group inside the room.

Bethany covered her heart, feeling an overwhelming sense of happiness. "Steve…"

Softly, a lull of a familiar tune filled the room as the audience made way for the happy couple. "Would you like to dance, Mrs. Rogers?"

Bethany couldn't keep the smile off her face and the happy tears from falling. "Lead the way, Captain Rogers."

Offering his arm to her, they began towards the center of the dance floor. Bethany couldn't help but blush, hiding her face a little. "Look up," Steve told her. "You're beautiful. And while everyone knows, everyone should still see."

Bethany shook her head, feeling those happy tears stream down. Looking up, she saw that the group, minus Peggy, from the wedding where already present, but so was Bruce, Sharon, Nick, a bunch of SHIELD employees, Rhodey, Happy and a few neighbours.

When they reached the center, they aligned their bodies up to dance. _"Someday, when I'm awfully low. When the world is cold. I will feel a glow just thinking of you and the way you look tonight."_

"I can't believe this," Bethany said as they swayed. "Thank you."

"It's not much," Steve replied, shrugging it off.

"No, it is," Bethany insisted, leaning up to kiss him. "I wanted the first dance, the party, the throwing of the bouquet."

"I know you did," Steve responded with a smile. "That's why Pepper and I arrange all this. I know you didn't want to exclude Peggy, but she would've understood. More importantly, she _understands._"

"I just figured… there's so many people who we wished could share this day with us. I didn't want to leave out the one person who _could_."

"It's your day," Steve reminded her.

"_Our _day," she corrected. "Oh, and everything… everything looks perfect. It's better than I ever could imagine."

"There's a live band," Steve shared. "But I insisted on having Peggy Lee's version of _The Way You Look Tonight_ since it holds so much meaning. And dinner; the cheese pasta I proposed with. And dessert; cheese and chocolate fondue."

Bethany giggled, resting her forehead on his jacket. "More perfect than I thought."

"Ladies and gentlemen," Tony said during the musical interlude. "It's my genuine pleasure to introduce for the first time, Captain and Mrs. Rogers."

* * *

><p>The bride and groom barely separated the entire reception. As people enjoyed the open bar and shared pleasantries with the couple, their hands were continually intertwined, or touching the other in one way or another. Nick didn't stay for long, but his quick presence was nonetheless appreciated.<p>

Bruce, for the most part, spent the night in a secluded corner, but Bethany and Steve made sure to visit him periodically when Tony was too busy being the center of attention to keep his science bro busy. Bethany made sure to introduce Jen to all the attractive men at SHIELD, and let Theo trail her and Steve around all night, him proudly telling everyone that he was the best man. Steve noticed that Kate seemed to drift to Clint and Natasha, but he ruled it to the girls' night out and all the bonding.

"All right, can all the single ladies gather up!" Pepper asked into the microphone, holding up Bethany bouquet which she accidentally left at the retirement home. "It's time for the bouquet toss!"

There was an excited buzz around the room from the woman, all of them shoving and pushing to gather in the middle of the room. Bethany pulled Steve's head down gently for a quick kiss, separating from him for the first time before leaning down to Theo's height. "Wanna help me up on stage?"

"Is that a best man's duty?" He questioned.

"Definitely," Steve nodded, giving him two thumbs up.

Bethany took a couple troubled steps up to the stage, holding onto the railing as Theo gathered the train. When they reached the middle of the stage, Pepper gave Bethany the bundle of flowers before popping off the stage and making her way into the crowd of ladies.

The live band started playing _Single Ladies_, but just the harmony. "Alright ladies, you ready?"

They all cheered in anticipation and Bethany turned around, taking in a deep breath and throwing the bouquet over her shoulders. She could hear shouts from the women and as she turned around, she saw Pepper and Jen fighting over the flowers. Bethany covered her mouth, trying not to laugh. She noticed that a lot of the SHIELD agents had gathered to the sides of the group, almost participating in tradition not want.

_That'll change,_ she thought with a small smile. _Good thing neither of them are SHIELD agents, or this would end very badly. _

Finally, Pepper was able to claw the flowers away from Jen, the crowd clapping slowly in astonishment. Bethany just shook her head, smiling and moving to step off the stage. Steve held out his hand for her not to trip, kissing her temple. "That was close to getting violent."

"Where's Tony?" Bethany asked, looking around the room. "I want to see his face."

Steve laughed. "I bet he's completely freaking out."

"Well get ready," Bethany said with a smile, throwing her arms around his neck. "The garter toss is next."

Steve's face paled. "Do I have to pick it off your leg with my teeth? It's so far up-"

"It's just under my knee," Bethany explained. "Mermaid styled dress don't allow any higher."

"Alright, alright men!" Clint said taking the mic. "So next is the garter toss, and because I know a lot of you need incentive, whoever catches it gets fifty dollars."

The men cheered and gathered in the center, all ready for the catch. "Fifty dollars goes a long way," Pepper said into her ear, placing a chair behind Bethany. The band started to instrumentally play _Let's Get It On_, and Bethany thanked her lucky stars that Steve didn't know it was a classic sex song.

Bethany settled into the chair, Steve kneeling in front of her. Gathering up as much of her dress as she could, Steve took in a deep breath before diving underneath the material. She could feel small kisses he was placing up her leg, finally reaching the garter. Bethany looked at the group of men. She saw Tony there, being held in place by Clint. Bruce was to the side, trying to stay away from a possible fight. Bethany couldn't help but chuckle as Theo was standing dead center, not knowing what was going on, but smiling nonetheless.

When Steve re-emerged, Bethany couldn't help but laugh at his dishevelled hair. Without getting up, Steve flung the garter into the air, turning his head to see where it landed. Bethany couldn't help but laugh as it landed on Bruce's shoulder, him looking terrified as some of the men eyed it with envy. Bruce quickly pulled it off his shoulder and threw it into the crowd of men before walking backwards slowly.

"Another dance?" Steve asked when he turned around again.

"Let's fix your hair first," Bethany chuckled.

* * *

><p>Steve held a sleeping Theo in his arms, carrying him to the hotel room he and Jen were staying in. While he tried to stay awake all night, after the sugar crash courtesy of the chocolate fountain, he missed the end of the reception.<p>

"So precious," Bethany said, pushing Theo's hair across his shoulders as the elevator _dinged_.

"Thanks for a great night," Jen said, leading them to her room. "And for carrying him."

"Not a problem," Steve responded in a whisper, not ready to wake him from his slumber. "You've got a good boy here."

"Yeah," Jen replied with a smile as she opened up the door. "Just put him on the bed. I have to use the restroom."

Steve nodded, going to do as Jen asked. Bethany followed, helping Steve carefully take off the child's shoes, vest and tie. As they pulled the blanket over his body, Bethany leaned down to kiss Theo's forehead. "You ready?" Steve asked quietly, wrapping an arm around her body.

Jen stepped out of the bathroom and Bethany nodded. "Good night Jen. Thank you so much."

"Of course," Jen nodded, holding out her arms for a hug. "Stop being a stranger."

"I know, I know," Bethany agreed. "Time flies. Get anyone's number tonight?"

Jen chuckled, "Maybe…"

"Good for you," Bethany assured. "I'll see you soon?"

"Yes," Jen nodded. "And congratulations you two."

As they bid their final goodbyes, Steve and Bethany went back to the elevator. "The honeymoon suite?" Bethany asked.

Steve hit the button to their floor and took out his key card. "But of course."

When they reached the room, Bethany wandered around it as Steve took off his jacket, vest and bow tie. "View isn't as nice," Bethany said with a wink. "But it'll do."

Steve chuckled, hanging up his garments on a chair and sitting down to take off his shoes. "Well it's just for the night. We head out tomorrow morning."

"And can I know where we are going now?" Bethany asked, sitting beside him on the bed.

"Nope," Steve said, popping the 'p'. He was hell bent on keeping it a secret, and didn't even book the hotel room under his name or use his credit card to keep Bethany off the scent. "You'll find out tomorrow."

"Fine," Bethany replied, standing up.

Steve took a hold of her waist and pulled her in between the V of his legs. "So Mrs. Rogers, you ready to consummate this marriage?"

Bethany chuckled, slowly unbuttoning his crisp white shirt. "I feel like you've been waiting for this moment."

"I have," Steve admitted. "No matter how amazing, I always felt a little guilty. It's nice to be able to make love to you now with none of that."

Bethany smiled, leaning down and kissing him deeply, passionately and slowly, savoring every moment. His hands roamed up and down her back, rubbing sweet circles and finally reaching for the bow for the sparkly belt around her waist. They pulled apart, resting their foreheads against each other's while Steve blindly undid the corset backing.

Feeling the dress loosen, Bethany turned around so Steve could help pull the dress off her shapely hips and pool around her ankles. When she face him again, Steve took in the sight of her. Her pale, sweet, soft skin looking more desirable than ever before. Her curves seemed to be more evident in the lace undergarments.

She stepped out of the dress, leaving the borrowed shoes in the middle, before crawling onto the bed. Steve slipped his white shirt off his body, leaving it with the wedding dress and pulling his under shirt off before moving to align his body over Bethany's, re-engaging the kiss. It seemed to deepen farther than either thought possible, each relishing in the slow speed they had begun. Bethany slowly ran her fingers up his arm, finger nails meeting his skin, Steve letting out a small shudder in response.

He pressed their bodies closer together, breaking away from her mouth and towards her neck, finding her sweet spot and kissing it as deeply as he had her lips. Bethany couldn't help but let out a happy moan in response, her hips rising up automatically to meet his. She tangled her hands into his hair as his strong hands trailed down her body, but his fingers just barely touching.

Her breathing hitched, her clutching to his hair even more as he continued to slowly tease her. Steve smiled against her skin, feeling her frustration rolling over him. He lifted his head, reconnecting their lips as Bethany's fingers trailed down his body and to the button of his pants. She popped them open and pulled at the zipper, Steve catching her clues. Doing his best, he shimmied out of the pants without breaking the fiery dance. Bethany used the loss of clothing to rub her body against his, feeling him reacting instantly. Despite both of their wants and needs, they kept a slow and steady pace, every inch of their body wanting more but basking in the pleasure filling them.

Bethany lifted the top part of her body, reaching behind her and undoing the clasp to her bra. Steve's attention turned to her newly exposed skin, leaving sweet open mouthed kisses. Bethany tried her best to show strength, using her hands to trace every inch of his muscled tone chest. It was slow, sweet torture, their underwear the only thing keeping them apart. Steve was straining against his boxers, confident that he had never been that aroused in his life, Bethany wiggling her hips in the thickly wet white panties she was donning.

Bethany turned her head, moaning as Steve's lips captured her rosy and erect nipple in his lips. Her gaze fell on a box of condoms and she picked it up. "Steve?" She said, her voice barely there since she was breathing so hard. He hummed in response, only looking up when she didn't answer. Bethany showed him the box and gave him a small smile. "I got my tubes untied yesterday," she explained.

"You-you did?" Steve responded with a smile.

"But I'm still on the pill," she continued, her breath slowly returning. "And I want to use these just for a little more protection. Just a little longer. Until the time is right. And if it happens, it happens."

Steve nodded, understanding. "Sure thing, doll face."

Bethany reached down to kiss him softly before opening the box and pulling out one of the Magnum condoms, tearing open the golden wrapping as Steve took off his boxers, letting out a grateful groan as his erection touched the cold air. As Bethany handed the condom to Steve, she removed her underwear, tossing them in the direction of the bathroom and then pulling up the blankets for her to crawl under.

With the rubber in place, Steve moved to the light switch, making the room darken. It was quiet and dark, and a replication of the room when they first made love. Steve crawled in under the sheets and hovered over Bethany's body. She widened her legs, Steve settling in between them. Bethany touched his face, their lips reconnecting again before he gripped her hip and slid into her, them becoming one and feeling whole. Lost in each other, they were both home. Everything was falling into place, everything in their worlds right. And while the journey wasn't perfect, it brought them to that very moment of perfection, fading into each other.

* * *

><p><strong>**AN: Yay, yay, yay! 70 years and 35 chapters later…**

**IMPORTANT: This is the LAST chapter of _Sorry Ever After_. I figured ending it with a 'happily ever after' feeling would be a good thing. I feel like they've reached that moment of complete forgiveness and moving past what was done and onto what will be done.**** But that doesn't mean Bethany and Steve's story is over! Far from it. **

**I****t'll be continued in _Wrong for the Right Reasons. _Click on my profile and it'll be there!**

**Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to every single one of you.**

**XOX**

**MarvelWorksWonders: Thank you! I'm one of those people who plan out every single detail of a character's life from life to death, so I wouldn't ever skip something as major as a movie! Haha. Well, here's the wedding, and hopefully it was up to expectations? **

**FeliciaFelicis: Aw, glad I could help! I was going to wait another day or two before posting chapter 34, but I figured 'why wait'? It was completed for a couple of days, just waiting for proof reading. I still haven't finish season 1 of ****_Agents of SHIELD! _****I have something like five episodes to watch, but in my defense, my recorder missed one week and I've resorted to leaving watching it until a rainy day when it'll bring sunshine and happiness. **

**And there is a HUGE mounted photo of Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler from ****_Gone with the Wind_**** over my bed, the first thing I ever fangirled to. Even my mom has a poster (although hers is in the basement) as well as some collectables that have slowly over the years become mine. There's nothing wrong with being a fangirl, no matter the age. **

**Jo: Aw, sending lots of warm hugs! It's almost summer time here and I'm grateful for it! In my hometown, the temperature went down to -30 degrees Celsius some days, the coldest winter we had in 20 years. That's my entire life! I definitely don't miss it. While free health care is a fantastic benefit, it's flipping cold in Canada! Stay warm!**


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